DOJ weighs hate crime charges in death of Ahmaud Arbery

DOJ weighs hate crime charges in death of Ahmaud Arbery

The U.S. Justice Department is weighing whether to file hate crime charges against two white men in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man who was gunned down while jogging in the small coastal town of Brunswick, Georgia, department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said on Monday.

Freddie Joyner has more.

The U.S Justice Department is weighing whether to file hate crime charges in the killing of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man who was gunned down while jogging in the small coastal town of Brunswick, Georgia... Monday's announcement from the DOJ comes just days after state investigators arrested a white former police officer, Gregory McMichael, and his son Travis, on charges of murder and aggravated assault.

The shooting death of Arbery, which occurred on February 23rd, was captured on a video that has since gone viral - sparking outrage across the country.

Civil rights activists are saying it marks yet another example of white perpetrators attacking an innocent black man.

Critics are questioning why it took local law enforcement more than two months to arrest the suspects, prompting Georgia’s state attorney general to vow to investigate the delay.

A DOJ spokeswoman said on Monday that the Justice Department is also looking into how the investigation was handled.