Man Who Allegedly Killed Ahmaud Abery Reportedly Used Racial Slur After Shooting

A preliminary hearing for three Georgia men accused of killing Ahmaud Arbery began on Thursday morning and some chilling details emerged. Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William “Roddie” Bryan are facing charges in Arbery’s death, and testimony revealed new information about the chase and shooting.

CNN shared that Special Agent Richard Dial, who works for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, testified in this initial hearing.

During his testimony, Dial relayed that Bryan told him that he overheard Travis McMichael referring to Arbery as a “f*cking N-word.” This utterance reportedly came after three blasts had come from McMichael’s shotgun.

Dial was cross-examined by the defense during Thursday’s hearing and he said that Bryan told him about the slur during an interview on May 13. Bryan had also been interviewed on May 11, and at that time, he did not mention this claim about the slur being used.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent noted that McMichael had previously used the same slur on social media and via private messaging.

The special agent also testified that Arbery had been hit by a truck as an elaborate chase took place. The McMichaels, who are father and son, were in one truck together, and Bryan was in a separate truck behind them.

Arbery had repeatedly tried to avoid the two vehicles during this chase. At one point, when the McMichaels tried to head off the jogger, Arbery turned and ran past Bryan’s truck. It’s at that point, apparently, when Bryan struck Arbery with his vehicle.

During the hearing, it was revealed that an examination of Bryan’s truck after Arbery’s death showed a dent, a swipe of a palm print, and some cotton fibers near the dent. Investigators believe these came from Arbery.

In the days after the Arbery video went viral, Bryan insisted that he had not been involved in the killing. However, he did apparently film the video that drew national headlines and had joined in on the chase that day.

Bryan has since stated that he had tried to block in Arbery with his vehicle and that the jogger had worked to avoid the truck multiple times. Eventually, it was detailed during the hearing that Arbery was trying to exit the Satilla Shores neighborhood where this took place.

However, the McMichaels managed to head him off and force him to turn back into the neighborhood. Arbery then ran past Bryan and was struck by his truck. He kept running, the McMichaels following, and soon after that the final moments that were videotaped took place.

Bryan waived his right to appear at Thursday’s hearing. The McMichaels requested that they be able to attend in person, and the judge denied the request. They instead appeared via video from the Glynn County Detention Center. Attorneys for the three men arrested insist their clients are not guilty.