Justice for Ahmaud

The trial is underway.

A Black man is dead. A young, Black man is dead. And another Black mother mourns the loss of her child. Ahmaud Arberry was twenty-five years old when he was gunned down while out for a run. Jogging while Black. Add that to the long list of things Black people can’t do.

Three white men are on trial for Arberry’s murder. Two men chased after Arberry intent on making a “citizen’s arrest.” They suspected that the young man was responsible for a series of break-ins in the neighborhood. There is a video showing Arberry entering a house under construction. However, all he does is look around, leave, and return to his run.

The white men saw Arberry enter and leave the house. That’s why they suspected he was behind the break-ins. They follow Arberry in their truck then try to run him off the road. Behind them, in another vehicle, a friend recorded the exchange.

At this point, Arberry is just trying to get away from the men. He continues his jog, running at a faster pace. The men are behind him in their vehicle, refusing to leave him alone. Suddenly, Arberry stops jogging, intent on confronting the men. An argument ensues then a fight. The white man takes out a gun, tosses it to the other white man, a shot rings out. Arberry continues to struggle with the man holding the gun. Then, another shot rings out and Arberry falls.

Arberry was murdered by these men. He was not out to rob homes. He was out for a run. A young, Black man is gone due to racism. White people need to stop suspecting us for every little thing. Black people just want to live. We just want to exist in this world. Black people deserve to thrive and follow their dreams. Arberry’s dreams died with him.

It is my hope that the trial exposes the murderous intent of those white men. I didn’t type their names because they have lost their names, in my opinion. They are white. They are murderers. That is how I identify them. Black people will remember Ahmaud Arberry. His life mattered.