Another Black person was found dead while hanging in a tree.
On Tuesday, June 16, 2020, authorities in Texas said that a Black teenager, who has yet to be identified, was found hanging from a tree at a school.
The teen was found in the parking lot of Ehrhardt Elementary School in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston, according to the Houston Chronicle.
While some question the death, the Harris County Sheriff Department issued a statement about the incident that read: “Deputies were called to the parking area of a school in the 6600 block of Rosebrook [Lane], where a teenage Black male was found deceased. Based on security video, witnesses and other evidence, preliminary indications are the male hanged himself.”
The Houston death comes one week after Robert Fuller was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale, California. During the early morning hours of June 10, someone called authorities after discovering a Black man hanging from a tree in Palmdale. After an investigation by homicide detectives at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Fuller’s death has been ruled a suicide because there was reportedly no sign of struggle.
On May 31, Malcolm Harsch was found hanging from a tree near the Victorville City Library in Victorville, California, less than 50 miles away from where Fuller was found on June 10, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A USB cord was used in Harsch’s death and blood was reportedly found on his shirt.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department initially ruled that foul play was not suspected in Harsch’s death, but an investigation is still pending.
The recent deaths by hanging have inspired reactions on social media. Here’s a sampling:
BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT COMMITTING SUICIDE BY HANGING THEMSELVES FROM TREES.
BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT COMMITTING SUICIDE BY HANGING THEMSELVES FROM TREES.
BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT COMMITTING SUICIDE BY HANGING THEMSELVES FROM TREES.
— Kamie Crawford (@KamieCrawford) June 17, 2020
Five black men. One week. All found hanging from trees. All cases ruled suicides. We have a massive massive problem.
— Marcel (@MarcelMcClinton) June 16, 2020
These men aren’t hanging themselves from trees, they are being murdered.
— BLACK mixed w/ BLACK (@black_mixed) June 14, 2020
