Citizen's arrest reform passes Georgia House, heads to Senate

The Georgia House unanimously approved a bill Monday that would reform the state’s citizen’s arrest law, marking a historic move fueled by the death of Ahmaud Arbery, who was killed by two residents in Brunswick last year.

Georgia law allows a civilian to arrest someone if he or she witnesses a crime or has “immediate knowledge” someone has committed one. If the crime is a felony and the suspect attempts to escape, the law also allows a person to detain the suspect. House Bill 479 would eliminate the right for civilians to perform those arrests with some exceptions.