Bloomington Mayor Asks FBI to Investigate After Minneapolis Firefighter Appears to Find Noose in Locker

In the city of Bloomington, Minnesota, which is a part of the greater Minneapolis area, Mayor Tim Busse has called for the FBI to investigate after a piece of rope resembling a noose was apparently found in a black firefighter’s locker.

“I can’t imagine a circumstance where this wasn’t intentional. The people or the person that committed this act is going to be held accountable. We have made that very clear that this is not condoned, this is not tolerated,” Busse said.

Busse said he is “disgusted, angry, and embarrassed by this cowardly act. To be clear, this incident is very serious and is being dealt with aggressively.”

He also said the city plans to bring in a mental health consultant “to address the emotional, social, and psychological trauma that results from racial traumatic events.”

From CBSlocal:

Looking forward, Busse said racial equity and inclusion are going to be part of the July 13 city council meeting. The discussion will center around diversity in city services and the police department.

Officials of the Minneapolis suburb said in a news release Saturday that the rope was tied into what appears to be a crude noose and was discovered at a Bloomington fire station on June 15.

The discovery was reported to Bloomington Fire department leaders on Tuesday.

Bloomington Fire Chief Ulie Seal said in the release, “Acts like this that embody hate, intimidation, and aggression will not be tolerated. The firefighter who brought this to our attention has demonstrated extreme strength and bravery and has done the right thing.”