Someone left a note at a memorial for Ahmaud Arbery saying "I should have stopped them," raising further questions about the shooting that has caused countrywide outrage.
A makeshift memorial was created in the Satilla Shores neighborhood of Brunswick, Georgia, for the 25-year-old who was shot to death on February 23 while jogging. Hundreds of people left flowers, cards and candles to honor Arbery.
But his family's lawyer took interest in one card left at the scene.
“Ahmaud, I am so sorry. I should have stopped them. I am so sorry,” the unsigned card said.
We need to discover who left this note! https://t.co/AkEIklcEvf
— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) May 13, 2020
The photo comes from WJXT4 reporter Kelly Wiley, with many people in the comments theorizing that it was written by someone related to Gregory and Travis McMichael, the two men seen on video shooting Arbery to death.
"I'm pleading on behalf of the family that you please make yourself known to the authorities so my family can begin to have closure," Wanda Cooper-Jones said in a recorded video message shared with ABC News on Wednesday evening.
The family's lawyers, S. Lee Merritt, Benjamin Crump and L. Chris Stewart, later released a statement calling for the person to come forward if they have more information.
"The family of Ahmaud Arbery is very interested in reaching out to the individual who left the heartfelt note at the site of Ahmaud Arbery's death. They feel great sympathy for the person who wrote that note and would like to speak with them to determine what they knew or what they saw. If that person would like to confidentially come forward and communicate with the family, they can contact the legal team or reach out directly to Mr. Arbery's family," the lawyers said in a statement.
Since the note drew in a significant response on social media, the Georgia Bureau of Investigations sent out a tweet denying its relevance.
We’ve received numerous tips & inquiries about this note. Please see our statement below. The Ahmaud Arbery murder investigation remains active & ongoing. pic.twitter.com/sCvueC1oMb
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) May 14, 2020
"The GBI has identified the individual that wrote this note. The individual is not connected to the Ahmaud Arbery murder investigation in any way. This person was expressing their condolences for Arbery's death. We've received numerous tips and inquiries related to this and wanted to be sure to update the public," the statement read.
The case around Arbery's death made national news when it was revealed police did not initially arrest Gregory or Travis. It was only after video of the shooting was released publicly that the Georgia Bureau of Investigations decided to arrest the two men.
Since then, it was revealed that Gregory had a close relationship with the local police and prosecutors because he is a former police officer himself. Two prosecutors were forced to recuse themselves from the case and are now officially under investigation for their decision to wait months before arresting Gregory and Travis, ABC News reported.
In recent days, there has been a concerted effort by conservative commentators and Georgia officials to justify Gregory and Travis' killing of Arbery because he walked through a construction site.
