Atlanta Mayor Bottoms: Trump’s Rhetoric Gave ‘Permission’ in Ahmaud Arbery Shooting

Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addressed unarmed black jogger Ahmaud Arbery being chased and shot dead allegedly by two white men, Gregory and Travis McMichael in Georgia on February 23.

Host Jake Tapper said, “The shooting happened back on February 23. Authorities had possession of a now-viral video of the shooting from the beginning. But the murder charges were not filed until this past week after the video emerged online and shocked and outraged millions of Americans. Do you think that the two men were only charged because the video became public?”

Lance Bottoms said, “I think that’s absolutely the reason that they were charged. I think had we not seen that video, I don’t believe that they would be charged. And it’s heartbreaking that it’s 2020."