ATLANTA – The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC), chaired by State Representative Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain), today issued the following statement in response to the death of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed 25-year-old man, who was fatally shot 2 1/2 months ago while jogging by two individuals:
“We are saddened and angry about this wanton display of violence against an innocent man whose only crime was jogging while black. In 2020, our state and our country have yet to reconcile with the vestiges of racism. At a time when we are uniting to fight against a global pandemic, another disease rears its head to again take an innocent life. First, our condolences go out to the family of the innocent victim, Mr. Ahmaud Arbery, whose rights as an American to exercise, were violently taken from him.
“The two assailants need to be in jail. Every day they walk as free individuals is an insult to the Arbery family and all who believe in justice. For the time they have walked free without incrimination and the pursuit of justice is a criminal act by those who have allowed the injustice of covering up this crime that is punishable by law.
“We call on federal and state officials to use all resources available to investigate this heinous act. We call on the district attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit to act with a sense of urgency. We call on our colleagues in the State Senate, when the legislature reconvenes on June 11, to take up House Bill 426, which is bipartisan hate crimes legislation currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee awaiting a hearing. Most of all, we call on all Georgians to renounce this act of unwarranted, unjustified violence. Ahmaud Arbery deserves justice.”
Established in 1975, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is a 501(c)3 non-profit, nonpartisan organization comprised of 65 Georgia House and Senate members.
For more information about the GLBC, please click here.
Representative Karen Bennett represents the citizens of Districts 94, which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves on the Code Revision, Economic Development & Tourism, Health & Human Services and Regulated Industries committees.
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