Another man has reportedly been found hanging from a tree in what police are claiming is an apparent suicide, this time in Houston, Texas. This is the third such incident in recent days after two black men were also found hanging from trees 10 days apart in California.
Apparent 'Suicide'
A video circulating on social media shows the man hanging from a tree in a vacant plot in Houston's Shady Acres neighborhood on Monday morning. The man, who was initially misidentified as an African American, was later revealed to be of Hispanic ethnicity.
In the clip, you can see emergency personnel, including a Houston police vehicle, on the scene before the camera pans and zooms into what appears to be the lifeless body of the individual suspended from the tree. The clip is graphic in nature and viewer discretion is advised.
According to Houston Police Spokesperson Jodi Silva, the death is "believed to be a suicide," however the official cause of death is pending until an autopsy is performed.
Was he Lynched?
Shortly after video footage of the incident and reports started circulating, one Twitter user pointed out some suspicious findings that according to her do not support the claim that the individual, whose identity has not yet been revealed, committed suicide.
The user, named Mollie Blanco, drew attention to the puddles of blood that were found underneath the man's body as well as the low height of the tree's branch he was found hanging from, raising doubts over claims that he died of suicide.
According to the user, there were even tire trail marks in a dirt patch leading up to the body. The Hispanic man's death and the mysterious circumstances he was found in have led many to believe he was a victim of a racially-motivated attack and may have been lynched.
The hashtag #HoustonLynching started trending on Twitter with users urging authorities to investigate the man's death.
Recent String of 'Suicides'
This is the third reported hanging nationwide within the past two weeks. Robert Fuller, 24, was found hanging from a tree in the Los Angeles suburb of Palmdale, California on June 12. 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch, another Black man, was found dead in similar circumstances on May 31.
The 38-year-old was found less than fifty miles from where Fuller's body was discovered. In both cases, local authorities quickly ruled the deaths as suicide, saying no foul play was involved. However, community members and the families of the deceased were not convinced and demanded further investigation into the deaths.
As previously reported, officials on Monday announced that state and federal authorities are also investigating Fuller's death from a "homicide," perspective, which was initially ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, a determination that has since been rolled back.
