Man who filmed Ahmaud Arbery’s death charged with murder

William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., who filmed the murder of Arbery, was charged with Felony Murder & Criminal Attempt to Commit False Imprisonment for the murder.

William Roddie Bryan charged

On February 23, Bryan alleges he was working in his yard when he saw a person he did not know being chased by a vehicle he recognized from the neighborhood, reports CNN.

Video of incident

Bryan says he began filming the incident, at one point getting in his vehicle and following Arbery, who was being chased.

In the video, Gregory McMichael is seen in the bed of pickup truck and Travis McMichael is near its driver’s side door as Arbery approaches.

The 36-second video was not released until about two months after the killing and would become a catalyst in the call for the arrest of the McMichaels, who have been charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.

Soon after the video’s release and Bryan’s identity became public, Arbery’s family attorney and activists called for his arrest.

While Bryan maintains he was simply recording and a “witness to the tragic shooting”, Arbery’s attorneys assert Bryan was complicit in the murder for helping the McMichaels chase and corner Arbery with his vehicle.

“The evidence says that he went from his home, according to his attorney, and minutes later he was in his truck following Ahmaud Arbery, who was a jogger in his neighborhood, around. He recorded Ahmaud,” S. Lee Merritt, one of the attorneys for Arbery’s family, said.

“The evidence indicates that he blocked Ahmaud with his truck and allowed two other men to ambush and kill him.”

“His family deserves justice from not only the two men who have been arrested, but from anyone who participated in that act,” Merritt said.

William Roddie Bryan charged and maintains innocence

Kevin Gough, an attorney for Bryan, maintains his client had taken a polygraph test that confirmed he was not involved in the shooting and has fully cooperated with law enforcement since the beginning of the investigation.

Bryan was booked into the Glynn County Jail.