Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce said Monday that investigators have confirmed the death of a 32-year-old man found hanging from a tree in downtown Raleigh over the weekend was a suicide.
During a news conference Monday afternoon, Boyce laid out a timeline of the man's movements captured by traffic and surveillance cameras in the area.
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Boyce said video showed the man walking alone toward the tree with an electrical cord. Additional video captured the incident, and Boyce said investigators found no evidence that anyone else was involved.
The Raleigh Police Department addressed the case publicly after what it called "unverified information" about the man's death began circulating online over the weekend.
Boyce said investigators have remained in close contact with the man's mother throughout the investigation. According to Boyce, she told investigators that her son had a history of mental health issues.
Police initially responded to the online speculation Saturday, saying, “We want to take a moment to acknowledge a disturbing post that is currently being shared regarding an active death investigation that occurred today.”
On Saturday shortly after 3 p.m., Raleigh police and medical personnel responded to the 300 block of South McDowell Street after receiving a report of a person hanging from a tree, according to police.
First responders removed the man and began life-saving measures, but he was later pronounced dead.
The Office of the Medical Examiner took custody of the case to conduct its investigation.
WRAL received a call from a viewer Saturday afternoon reporting that a young African American man was hanging from a tree in what the caller believed to be a suicide.
The WRAL Breaking News Tracker arrived to find police tape in place and several officers on scene, along with a medical examiner and the Wake County Bureau of Forensic Services.
Numerous posts about the death began circulating online Saturday, prompting Raleigh police to issue a statement urging people not to spread speculation or unverified information.
“We understand that this loss may be deeply painful for those who knew and cared about the individual,” the statement reads in part. “We ask everyone to please be mindful of the family and friends who are grieving and to avoid sharing unverified information or speculation while investigators continue their work.”
It is the general policy of WRAL News not to report individual suicides to protect public health and privacy. However, WRAL may report deaths by suicide when the circumstances involve high public interest.