Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker says Ahmaud Arbery “did not deserve this” when speaking about his cousin who was shot and killed while out for a run Feb. 23 in their hometown of Brunswick, Ga.
“He did not deserve that,” Walker told ESPN. ” And, you know, God has a plan for everybody, man, but, you know, it’s tough. It is. That’s why I watched it so many times. I couldn’t grasp it. It’s such a gruesome video, you want to know why.”
Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, were arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault more than two months after Arbery was killed. Federal prosecutors also are considering hate-crime charges that would allow for a separate case in federal court.
“It’s amazing to have that much support, have that many people get behind one simple cause, and that’s justice…That’s all we could ask for,” Walker told E! News.
It is impossible for the Lions’ DB to grasp the horror of what happened.
“It’s crazy that a man was out there jogging by himself and just getting exercise and he was shot down,” Walker said. “We can’t continue to kill ourselves and kill each other off. That’s not ok. We can’t continue with the violence.”
He added that his wish is for the country “learn from this” and find a way to “grow together,” so that people can feel “safer” in this world.
Walker said Arbery “was a person full of laughter and joy.” When Walker’s team would lose, he knew he could rely on Ahmaud to “brighten” his day. “He would be the guy that would just turn everybody’s frown upside down by saying a simple joke.”
Walker, 25, was a third-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2018. He knew Arbery for his entire life. He wears Arbery’s high school No. 21 already, as a coincidence, and plans to write Arbery’s initials on his cleats when the NFL resumes. He also is planning to wear Arbery’s T-shirts underneath his jersey during games.
“He was a beautiful soul,” Walker said. “He wasn’t a hateful person. He was not. I can’t name one person he had a beef with growing up. Everybody loved Ahmaud because he was just a clown, a funny guy.”