In a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr, Houston City Council Member for District J Edward Pollard expresses the importance of an investigation at the highest level of government into the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery. Pollard sent a letter to the attorney general asking that the FBI and Department of Justice launch an official investigation into Arbery’s death, which took place in February 2020.

According to published reports, Arbery was jogging through his neighborhood on February 23rd when Gregory and Travis McMichael shot and killed him during an altercation. Public outcry became prevalent across the country after a video recording of the incident, allegedly shot by William “Roddie” Bryan, became public in May, more than two months after the incident took place. The father and son suspects have since been arrested on charges of murder and aggravated assault. Bryan also faces possible arrest and criminal charges.

Pollard, the youngest black male elected official in Houston, cites conflicts of interest, slow action on the part of local law enforcement, an alleged biased jury pool and an attempt to conceal facts about the incident as reasons he believes this is a hate crime and federal law enforcement agencies need to get involved.

“This may be an incident that happened in Georgia, but it’s one that affects Americans – especially black Americans – throughout the nation,” Pollard said. “Based on how this case has been handled so far, and the conflicts of interest between local law enforcement and the suspects, I don’t see how justice can truly be served without the involvement of authorities at the federal level. I implore Attorney General William Barr to allow the FBI and Department of Justice to investigate and make sure all Americans can once again have faith in the American legal system.”

Pollard is the youngest black male elected official in Houston and is currently serving a four-year term on Houston’s City Council representing District J, which has nearly 175,000 residents. District J is the most diverse district in the city of Houston, which has been named the most diverse city in the United States.