Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez, D‑N.Y., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D‑Mass., have urged the Department of Justice and the FBI to launch a “thorough, transparent, and comprehensive” investigation into every recent hanging death of a Black individual in the United States. Their letter, signed by about 50 Democrats, describes these deaths as “widespread modern‑day lynchings” and a “national crisis.”
Official findings show suicides
Law‑enforcement agencies and medical examiners in several states have publicly ruled the deaths as suicides. In Atlanta, a 21‑year‑old man who was found hanging in a Cobb County park was determined to have died by suicide, according to the local NBC affiliate. In Mississippi, Delta State University student Demartravion Reed’s death was also classified as a suicide by officials.
Similar conclusions were reached in Albany, N.Y., where the police department said Earl Smith’s death was ruled a suicide with “no evidence” of criminal activity, and in Brookfield, Wis., where the police chief indicated a preliminary investigation pointed to suicide.
One case still under homicide probe
One incident remains under a homicide investigation. Tasia Fortune was found hanging outside an abandoned house in Jackson, Mississippi. Authorities later arrested her child’s father, Terence Bernard Anderson, on unrelated weapons charges, but the homicide inquiry continues.
Critics challenge the lawmakers’ narrative
Social‑media users and former officials have pushed back against the lawmakers’ characterization. Former Energy Department official Matt Van Swol noted that the prime suspect in a recent Black woman’s hanging was her Black boyfriend, arguing that “Zero White people are lynching Black people in America today.” Former Senate staffer Matt Whitlock questioned the use of the term “widespread,” pointing out that only one of the cited cases is a homicide.
Community‑generated notes on X (formerly Twitter) have linked to the official reports, emphasizing that most high‑profile hanging deaths identified in 2025 and 2026 were ruled suicides. The notes also highlight the lone homicide investigation, suggesting the lawmakers’ claim of a systemic pattern is not supported by the available evidence.
Context and response
The lawmakers’ letter references historic trauma, recalling the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, and frames the recent deaths as a continuation of racial terror. While the desire to address any potential bias is understandable, the factual record from multiple jurisdictions does not substantiate a claim of a coordinated lynching campaign.
Fox News Digital reached out to Rep. Ocasio‑Cortez, Rep. Pressley, the DOJ and the FBI for comment. No response was received at the time of publication.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
