Community leaders pleased with Arbery verdict, say work is far from over
Tyrone Irby finds it difficult to celebrate today’s guilty verdicts.
"All he was doing was running and running is not a crime," said Irby.
Running—an activity Irby enjoys himself.
25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was running through a Georgia neighborhood in February 2020.
Greg McMichael and his son Travis McMichael suspected Arbery of being a burglar.
Their neighbor, William Bryan, recorded the deadly shooting on his cellphone.
Student activist Greaar Webb stood on the front lines of many protests in 2020 pushing for social justice reform.
"We would have never gotten here if it hadn't been for the video," said Webb.
Webb hopes the verdict in the Arbery’s case encourages more young people to join the movement.
Greear Webb, Organizer, Raleigh Demands Justice
"Today is not a stopping point or a time of closure," said Webb.
Rev. Mark Gibson with Redeeming Love Missionary Baptist Church said he leaned on hope and faith for a just outcome.
"A lot of folks said justice came out of this, but this was accountability," said Gibson.
Earlier this year Irby organized a run to honor Arbery’s legacy. He plans to hold similar events to keep his name alive.
"This is a case to not be forgotten," said Irby.