A startling scene at Atlanta’s Piedmont park unfolded this morning when a young Black man was discovered hanging from a tree. “There were no discernible signs of a struggle or foul play,” read a statement from the Atlanta Police Department released to Atlanta Black Star via Twitter. The statement continued, “A Fulton County medical examiner concurred that the death was consistent with a suicide.”
The rush to conclude the hanging was a suicide drove many on social media to cry foul. Some compared the incident to a “modern day lynching”. The public outcry has lead Atlanta’s mayor Kasim Reed to release a statement reassuring the public that there will be a “thorough investigation” into the matter.
His statement in full below:
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of a young man’s life last night in Piedmont Park. This disturbing event demands our full attention. The Atlanta Police Department (APD) is conducting a robust investigation into his death and I have asked to receive regular briefings on the status of the investigation. We have also referred the case to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Everything we have seen suggests that there was no foul play involved, but I want to state clearly and unequivocally that we will not prejudge the circumstances surrounding this young man’s death. APD will share all evidence discovered in the course of the investigation. We ask for the public’s support and cooperation as we work to resolve this matter.”
No further details have been released.
