By Rich McKay

(Reuters) – Ahmaud Arbery (25-year-old Black) was jogging in a predominantly white area on February 23, 2020 when he was pursued by two white men in trucks and shot to death about 2 miles (3 km) away from his mom’s home near Brunswick (NYSE;), Georgia.

The national outrage at his murder was heightened when cell phone video footage of the incident emerged months later. It also revealed that the local authorities declined to arrest the suspects.

Arbery was chased by the men, who claimed they believed he had committed a crime. They also wanted to arrest a citizen. They were all found guilty of murder last year in state court and face federal hate crime charges.

Who WAS THE AHMAUD ARBERY?

Ahmaud Marquez Albery lived his whole life in Brunswick, South Georgia. To his friends, he was called “Maud”, or “Quez”, and was the son Marcus Arbery Sr. (Wanda Cooper-Jones). According to his family, he was easy-going and had a large smile. He ran all day, except when it started raining.

Arbery was a long-term employee at the truck washing and landscaping companies of his father. His neighbors would often see him lifting weights on his mother’s driveway, or even playing basketball. He would often sing freestyle hip-hop.

FOOTBALL DREAMS

Arbery was an ex-linebacker for the Brunswick Pirates, his high school football club. He was a star in the local community, despite not having the typical strength of a linebacker. However, his speed and agility made him an instant favorite. His family told him that he once dreamed about playing in the National Football League. However, at 5’10 (1.8m), he was not tall enough.

Arbery was a Brunswick High School graduate in 2012. His football coach retired No. 21 to honor the great player.

LEGAL TROUBLES

Arbery did have a couple of brushes with the police, which his family claims he has put behind him.

A year after graduating high school, he was back at campus for a basketball match. He had a pistol on his waistband and returned to the university with five years of probation. He was sentenced to five years probation.

He was arrested in 2017 for shoplifting a TV from the local Walmart. According to court records, he was on probation at that time, but a judge increased it.

The defense attorneys tried to inform the jury about these incidents but the judge refused. He ruled that defendants couldn’t have known any information about Arbery or his probation status.

Future

Arbery, his family stated, had aspirations to play football and become an electrician. He was inspired by three uncles.

He attended South Georgia Technical College approximately a year-and-a-half after graduating high school. But, money pressure caused him to drop out. Theawanza Brooks was his aunt and said that Arbery had saved up for the future to pursue his education.