Detroit runners celebrate birthday of Georgia man killed while jogging

DETROIT – Ahmaud Arbery would’ve turned 26 on Friday. He’s the unarmed black man who was shot and killed while going on a run near his Brunswick, Georgia neighborhood.

Many runners celebrated the life of Ahmaud, including Co-Owners of We Run 313.

“So today we’re going to get out and honor him. He was slain on February 23. So, in his honor we’re going to run 2.23 miles today,” said Joe Robinson.

READ: Father, son charged with murder of black man killed while jogging in Georgia

Joe Robinson one of the co-founders of We Run 313 said, it may not be much, but running on this day, speaks volumes, “Yeah, this is a dedication and this is a dedication to the African American community, the running community, and a dedication to justice,” said Robinson.

We Run 313 founders Lance Woods and Joe Robinson said they wanted to celebrate the life of Ahmaud. Police said he was shot and killed by two white men, in Brunswick, Georgia on February 23, 2020.

Runners across the country are running 2.23 Miles on Friday, what would have Ahmaud’s 26th birthday, “But today, is just about honoring him, you know, today is his birthday. And he was killed on February 23. So, we just want to pay our respect by running. Two miles is one of the distances that we do in our run club, two mile Tuesdays. And we'll push it a little bit by going 2.23 miles. So, yeah that's what it's about. We’rebringing more awareness, showing his family that we're in solidarity with them and pushing that for the rest of the community,” said Lance Woods.

Thursday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrested father and son 64-year old Gregory McMichael and 34-year old Travis McMichael for the death of Ahmaud Arbery. They were both charged with Murder and Aggravated Assault, just days after a video went viral showing the shooting.

Safety is something both Woods and Robins said they think about when running, both acknowledging that could have been them, “I would be lying to you if I said that, that thought wasn’t in my mind but I don't run with fear,” said Woods.

More than 700,000 people pledged to run for Ahmaud in a www.change.org petition.