#Recent hanging deaths of black men across US prompt investigations

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Protesters march holding signs during a Juneteenth demonstration over the death of Robert Fuller, in Lancaster, California.
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Multiple people of color have been found hanging in wake of George Floyd’s police-involved death, sparking investigations amid rising racial tensions across the country.

The disturbing spate of hanging deaths have been reported in Texas, California and New York — and all have been ruled suicides, at least initially.

The most recent case was reported Wednesday when a black 17-year-old boy was found hanging from a tree in the playground area on the grounds of Ehrhardt Elementary School in Spring, Texas, local authorities said.

Officers cut him down from the tree and performed CPR on the teen, who was pronounced dead minutes later.

“Homicide investigators were able to review school surveillance cameras and found no signs of foul play in this tragic incident,” police said. “The male had a history of suicide attempts, with one attempt as recently as a few weeks ago.”

Two days earlier, a Hispanic man was found hanging from a tree in Houston, KRIV reported. Residents and community leaders quickly raised suspicions about the incident, but authorities say so far there is no evidence of foul play.

“At that time, the Medical Examiner’s office came out and did a thorough investigation and determined it was a Hispanic male most likely by suicide,” Commander Steve Spears, of the Houston Police Department, told the outlet. “If they thought there was any foul play at all, the ME”s office, which is not associated with the Houston Police Dept, would’ve contacted HPD and we would’ve come out and sent the whole homicide team out.”

But Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, said she fears there could be more to the story.

“People are on edge,” she told the station. “They are nervous. This is a troubling, a challenging time for us. It is shocking in our community and no death in that form should go uninvestigated.”

In Southern California, Robert Fuller, 24, who was black, was found hanging in a park near Palmdale City Hall early on June 10, and his death was originally declared an apparent suicide.

But last week, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the death will be probed as a homicide and will be monitored by the California Attorney General’s Office and the FBI’s Civil Rights Division.

On June 9, in New York, Dominique Alexander, 27, who was also black, was found hanging from a tree with a rope around his neck in Upper Manhattan’s Fort Tryon Park around 6 a.m., police said.

A week later, the city Office of the Medical Examiner ruled his death a suicide by hanging.

Police said foul play wasn’t suspected in the death of Malcolm Harsch, who was found hanging near the Victorville City Library in San Bernadino, Calif. on May 31.

The man’s family initially questioned that narrative — but late last week, authorities released a video showing the man hanging himself, according to The Desert Sun.

The family has since released a statement confirming the suicide.