‘Those Who Committed This Horrible Crime Will Be Punished’: Biden Issues Statement on Convictions for Men Who Killed Ahmaud Arbery

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President Joe Biden issued a brief statement Wednesday reacting to the murder convictions of the three men who killed Ahmaud Arbery.

Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael, and William Bryan were found guilty on multiple counts of felony murder. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Back in May 2020, days after the horrific video of Arbery’s murder was seen by the public, then-candidate Biden said, “Well it sure looks like murder to me, at a minimum it needs a thorough investigation.”

“Black mothers shouldn’t have to worry when their sons go out to walk down the street or jog down the street that this could happen to them,” he added at the time.

You can read the president’s full statement on the verdict below:

Ahmaud Arbery’s killing – witnessed by the world on video – is a devastating reminder of how far we have to go in the fight for racial justice in this country. Mr. Arbery should be here today, celebrating the holidays with his mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, and his father, Marcus Arbery. Nothing can bring Mr. Arbery back to his family and to his community, but the verdict ensures that those who committed this horrible crime will be punished.

While the guilty verdicts reflect our justice system doing its job, that alone is not enough. Instead, we must recommit ourselves to building a future of unity and shared strength, where no one fears violence because of the color of their skin. My administration will continue to do the hard work to ensure that equal justice under law is not just a phrase emblazoned in stone above the Supreme Court, but a reality for all Americans.