Georgia House Votes to Repeal Citizen’s Arrest Law In Wake of Ahmaud Arbery’s Death

A cross with flowers and a letter A sits at the entrance to the Satilla Shores neighborhood where Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed, in Brunswick, Ga., on May 7, 2020. Sean Rayford/Getty Images

Georgia lawmakers voted unanimously on Monday to repeal a citizen’s arrest law that fueled public outcry after a prosecutor relied on it to conclude that last year’s fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery was justified.

The Georgia House of Representatives voted 173-0 for House Bill 479, which, aside from some exceptions, would eliminate the right for civilians to make arrests.