The discovery of another noose hanging from a tree outside a Stanford University residence hall on Sunday has sparked a new investigation into the incident as a potential hate crime.
The noose was discovered outside Branner Hall at 7:45 pm, and the Department of Public Safety on campus was immediately notified.
The California institution explained that this is the second such incident since November and the third since 2019. Stanford also sent an email to students and faculty notifying them that authorities took action and that the noose has been removed.
Vice Provost of Student Affairs Susie Brubaker-Cole and Vice Provost for Institutional Equity Access, and Community Patrick Dunkley shared a statement in The Stanford Daily student newspaper.
“We cannot state strongly enough that a noose is a reprehensible symbol of anti-Black racism and violence that will not be tolerated on our campus,” Brubaker-Cole and Dunkley wrote. “It is the moral responsibility of those with any knowledge of this incident to come forward.”
Ongoing Investigation
Upon learning of the incident, campus police launched an investigation, interviewing students, maintenance, and administrative employees to identify potential suspects and determine when it may have taken place.
Details surrounding the situation have been sparse, including whether or not campus security cameras may have captured video of the incident.
As the investigation continues, Brubaker-Cole and Dunkley thanked those who came forward to report the incident.
“We are sharing this message with the full university community so that everyone is informed and we can move forward…committed to ending anti-Black racism,” Brubaker-Cole and Dunkley shared.