Photo: Siede Preis / Photodisc / Getty Images
Authorities in Raleigh, North Carolina, are investigating the death of a Black man who was found hanging from a tree in a downtown parking lot Saturday (August 15).
The Raleigh Police Department said officers and medical personnel responded to the scene near Nash Square, where the man was pronounced dead despite life-saving efforts. According to The News & Observer, the Raleigh Police Department said the death is being investigated as a suicide and that “there appears to be no foul play involved.”
As the case quickly draws public attention, local officials are urging the community to avoid speculation while the investigation continues.
Raleigh City Council member Corey Branch addressed the death Sunday on Facebook, noting that local, state and federal officials were investigating.
“Yesterday, an African-American male was found hanging from a tree and RPD along with state and federal officials are investigating,” Branch wrote. “I ask that we let RPD and the SBI (State Bureau of Investigation) do the investigating and more information to come.”
The state’s Office of the Medical Examiner will also investigate the death.
The Raleigh Police Department urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information or speculation while investigators work to determine what happened.
“We understand that this loss may be deeply painful for those who knew and cared about the individual,” police said.
The News & Observer said it does not typically report on suicides because of concerns that coverage could lead to imitation. The outlet made an exception in this case because of the death’s public location, the significant public discussion surrounding it and the historical context of Black deaths in the South.
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