Common gives out sneakers in honor of Ahmaud Arbery

Common wants to keep Ahmaud Arbery’s name alive.

The “I Used To Love H.E.R.” emcee recently up with Arbery’s family at a local community center to hand out Adidas running shoes to those in need. Arbery loved to run and was a great high school athlete.

Aside from the community event, Common had a private conversation with Arbery’s family. According to TMZ, he told Wanda Cooper-Jones, Arbery’s mother, that he wants justice for her son, who was killed by a group of white men while jogging through a Georgia neighborhood earlier this year. He also said that he wants to keep his name alive and is committed to being in it for the long haul.

The Chicago native, who is currently in Georgia to help get votes for the upcoming Senate runoff elections, also told Jones that he is not part of a publicity stunt and he will be available for her whenever she needs him.

Earlier this week, body cam footage was released that showed the moments following Arbery’s death. In the footage, which was obtained from Glynn County police by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Travis McMichael can be seen splattered with blood and pacing next to Arbery’s body, who he had shot and killed just moments before.

Back in February, Travis and his father, Gregory McMichael, had chased Arbery through a Georgia neighborhood after suspecting he was involved in a series of break-ins in the area. “Last thing I ever wanted to do in my life,” Travis told an officer. “If he had stopped this wouldn’t have happened.”

The most damning part of the video footage was William “Roddie” Bryan’s admission to using his truck to block Arbery in as the McMichaels chased him. He previously told authorities that he had nothing to do with his death and was simply a witness.