A third man, William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., who recorded video of Arbery’s death, allegedly hit Arbery with his truck after he joined the McMichaels in the chase.
Travis McMichael and his father, Gregory McMichael, were charged with one count each of using, carrying, and brandishing (in Travis’s case discharging) a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“It’s one step closer to justice,” Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery’s mother, told CNN. “They did the investigation properly and they came out with those indictments. So, my family and I were pleased.”
Cooper-Jones, who was notified earlier in the day by federal investigators of the forthcoming federal charges, told CNN that the hate crime charges on a federal level were “huge.”
Arbery family attorney Ben Crump said the indictments were “yet another step in the right direction.”
“This is an important milestone in America’s uphill march toward racial justice, and we applaud the Justice Department for treating this heinous act for what it is — a purely evil, racially motivated hate crime,” Crump’s statement read.
Jason Sheffield and Robert Rubin, attorneys for Travis McMichael, said in a statement “we are deeply disappointed that the Justice Department bought the false narrative that the media and state prosecutors have promulgated.”
CNN has reached out to the legal counsel for the other two defendants, Bryan and Gregory McMichael.
All 3 men used force to interfere with Arbery’s rights
Federal prosecutors said all three men “used force and threats of force to intimidate and interfere with Arbery’s right to use a public street because of his race.”
While Arbery was jogging, prosecutors said the McMichaels “armed themselves with firearms, got into a truck, and chased Arbery through the public streets of the neighborhood while yelling at him, using their truck to cut off his route, and threatening him with firearms.”
Bryan also joined the chase and cut off Arbery’s route with his truck, prosecutors said.
“All three defendants attempted to unlawfully seize and confine Arbery by chasing after him in their trucks in an attempt to restrain him, restrict his free movement, corral and detain him against his will, and prevent his escape,” the Justice Department release read.
Prosecutors said Travis McMichael “used, carried, brandished and discharged” a Remington shotgun, while his father “used, carried and brandished” a .357 Magnum revolver.
Bryan pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment and felony murder.
Throughout the ongoing pretrial hearings, counsel for the McMichaels has maintained their clients thought Arbery was a burglary suspect when they pursued him.
No trial date has been set by Georgia prosecutors.
CNN’s Adam S. Levine, Angela Barajas, Martin Savidge, Angela Barajas and Dakin Andone contributed to this report.