After Jena, Nooses Found at N.C. School

Sept. 22, 2007 — -- A day after civil rights figures led a massive protest in Jena, La., where racial tensions flared after nooses were hung from a tree outside Jena High School, more nooses were found on a tree outside another southeastern high school.

A total of four nooses were found Friday around the campus of Andrews High School in High Point, N.C., police said.

Two nooses were hung on a tree in front of the school, one was in a bus loop near the upperclassmen's parking lot and one red noose was tied to the top of the school flagpole, High Point Police Capt. Margaret Erga said, citing a police report.

Erga said school administrators discovered the nooses around 8:30 a.m. and immediately notified authorities, who officially filed the report at 10:41 Friday morning.

Extra police officers were brought to the campus and security was in force at Andrews High School for the remainder of the day.

Police told ABCNEWS.com that the extra security will continue at least through the weekend, with several officers patrolling at any given time.

No charges have been filed, police said, but the investigation is ongoing.

School officials commented on the incident in a message on the Guilford County Schools' Web site.

"These discriminatory acts will not be tolerated in or against our schools," the school board statement said. "Those found to be responsible for this criminal act will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Sonya Conway, executive director of district relations for Guilford County Schools, told The News-Record, a local newspaper, that school would open Monday as usual.

"We're taking it very seriously," Erga said. "Monday morning, our detectives will begin working with the school resource officer at Andrews, who knows the students best."

In a similar event at Jena, three white students were accused of hanging nooses from a tree, after which six black students were accused of beating a white classmate and then initially charged with attempted murder.

Those charges were later reduced, then dropped or struck down. One black student remained jailed as the prosecutor prepared to refile charges.