A black man was found hanging in Piedmont Park, according to a statement by Atlanta Police. (Getty)
Tragedy struck Atlanta today with the announcement that someone was found hanging in Piedmont Park, a famous park in the city. Police statements and public outcry are at very different ends on the story, and with the horrific deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile headline news, tensions are higher than ever. Very little is known on the story so far, but in the wake of several police brutality incidents, the story is trending on social media.
Here is what you need to know.
1. A Black Man Was Found Hanging From a Tree By Park Security in the Middle of the Night
Piedmont Park. (Getty)
The Atlanta Police Department sent out its statement on the hanging via an
email. The email, which mistakenly dates the incident as June 7th, states that “at 0457 hours Unit 1503 requested investigative assistance at Piedmont Park.” A black man had been found hanging from a park tree by security; the man was estimated at “age 25-35” in the statement. Emergency medical response units responded, but the man “showed no signs of life.” The scene was near the Charles Allen entrance of the park, where the officers were called to.
2. Police Said the Scene Was “Consistent With a Suicide”
Piedmont Park. (Getty)
No autopsy has been done yet, and official cause of death has not been established. But according to the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, police were “confirming the body found was the victim of a suicide.” This is clarified further in the department’s email, which also added a second opinion.
GI units responded to the scene. There were no discernable signs of a struggle or foul play. The scene was consistent with a suicide. Fulton County Medical Examiner Hagar responded and concurred that the death was consistent with a suicide. Hagar assumed custody of the as yet unidentified body.
3. Many On Social Media Were Suspicious And Demanded More News Coverage
Follow
Mari, MPH @Glam_Mari
Black people don't hang themselves from trees; try again
#PiedmontParkHanging
10:21 AM - 7 Jul 2016
Despite the police statement and the medical examiner, once the story broke on social media, many were immediately
suspicious. People quickly took to tweeting and retweeting thoughts, and eventually made #PiedmontParkHanging a trending topic. Many are hypothesizing that the hanging was not a suicide, and believe it to be a lynching. They have also been demanding news coverage of the incident, which had been slow to start.
Follow
nick washington @girlsugar
A white man found dead = full investigation! A black man found hanging from a tree = no investigation! He hung himself!
#PiedmontParkHanging
10:39 AM - 7 Jul 2016 ·
Daly City, CA, United States
Follow
Ash Bee @Hey_AshB
Someone decided to kick it old school and straight up lynch a man at
#PiedmontPark in Atlanta, GA
Welcome 2016.
#PiedmontParkHanging
10:31 AM - 7 Jul 2016
Follow
Luke Cripwalker @sporker_
Why on earth would a black man hang himself in a PUBLIC area?? To argue that this was a suicide is asinine
#PiedmontParkHanging
10:10 AM - 7 Jul 2016
Follow
Kathleen Smith @MrsDrAtlantis
Amazing that police have determined cause of death PRIOR to investigating. That's incredible!
#PiedmontParkHanginghttps://twitter.com/ajc/status/751098059740815360 …
10:00 AM - 7 Jul 2016
Follow
check pickeruppa @theblaqgawd
Today July 7th 2016 a man was found hanging by the neck from a tree located in
#piedmontpark Atlanta, GA not 1916, 2016
10:00 AM - 7 Jul 2016
