Naval Academy launches investigation after report of apparent noose

The US Naval Academy has opened an investigation after a civil rights activist reported to the academy that a noose was hung at a construction site of an engineering building in Annapolis, Maryland.

Posted 6:44 p.m. Sep 10, 2019 — Updated 6:44 p.m. Sep 10, 2019

Chandelis Duster

, CNN

CNN — The US Naval Academy has opened an investigation after a civil rights activist reported to the academy that a noose was hung at a construction site of an engineering building in Annapolis, Maryland.

Carl O. Snowden, a civil rights leader in Maryland, told CNN on Tuesday he received an anonymous email with photos of the apparent noose on August 28 -- the 56th anniversary of the March on Washington in which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have A Dream Speech."

Snowden said the alleged noose is racially motivated and he waited to release the photos until he determined they were authentic and not a hoax.

US Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Sean Buck said in a statement he and other officials were not aware of an employee reporting the incident, but immediately launched an investigation once he heard of it. He said the noose was found in a construction site at Rickover Hall where hoists are being used to install new piping.

"While there is a possibility for the alleged noose to have been part of a hoisting system to complete this ductwork, the Academy takes all allegations of race hate very seriously, and is working quickly and diligently to determine the facts surrounding the reported incident, specifically why the reported incident was not brought to light sooner," Buck said.

Snowden said he is pleased an investigation has been launched, but "holding my conclusions until the facts come out."

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