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Suspected suicide: Body found hanging from tree in Poncitlan Square, Palmdale issues statement [updated]

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[Image via gofundme]
2nd UPDATE: Authorities walked back an initial statement that Robert Fuller’s death appeared to be a suicide. In a press conference on June 15, Los Angeles County’s Medical Examiner-Coroner, Dr. Jonathan Lucas, said, “Initially there wasn’t any evidence or information that led us to believe that there was anything other than a suicide… but we felt better that we should look into it a little more deeply and carefully just considering all the circumstances at play. [View the entire press conference here.]

UPDATE: The victim has been identified by family members as Robert Fuller. An online fundraiser has been established to help cover the cost of his burial. To donate, visit: https://gf.me/u/x8rm9w

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PALMDALE – The body of a man in his 20s was found hanging from a tree Wednesday near Palmdale City Hall, authorities said.

The body was found around 4 a.m. Wednesday, June 10, with a rope around the man’s neck, hanging from a tree in Poncitlan Square, according to Lt. Brandon Dean of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau.

All indicators point to a suicide, Dean said, but investigators are waiting for full autopsy results and information from the man’s next of kin regarding past issues with mental illness.

Palmdale City officials released a statement Thursday, extending “sincere condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of the individual who tragically passed away in Palmdale… Our thoughts and prayers are with them.” [View the complete statement here.]

“Sadly, it is not the first such incident since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” city officials said in the statement.

“Many people are suffering extreme mental anguish and the city wants everyone to know that help is available,” said City Manager JJ Murphy. “There are local resources such as Mental Health America of Los Angeles, AV Vet Center, and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.”

For the past few months, the City of Palmdale has partnered with local mental health experts to host a virtual Mental Health Town Hall every other Monday. It helps residents gain valuable tools to cope with mental health concerns and lean on the peer support of those with knowledge and experience in the field.

The next session will take place Monday, June 15, at 10 a.m. To participate, send an email to info@cityofpalmale.org and note “Mental Health Town Hall” in the subject line. City staff will then provide you with the meeting information and access code.

The County of Los Angeles also has mental health resources available on their website at https://dmh.lacounty.gov/

Those needing to talk to someone immediately regarding anxiety or depression should call the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health 24-hour hotline at 800-854-7711, or text LA to 741741.

“The city remains committed to addressing mental health issues during these difficult times,” Murphy added. “We are in this together.”

UPDATE/ Editor’s note: The AV Times has been contacted by several readers not connected to this incident who strongly believe that the death was not a suicide and other suspicious factors are at play. If you have verifiable information that you would like to share with our readers to bring more clarity to this unfortunate incident, please email editor@www.theavtimes.com.

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218 comments for "Suspected suicide: Body found hanging from tree in Poncitlan Square, Palmdale issues statement [updated]"

  1. The lack of signs of a struggle is one thing, but there is some serious absurdity to the police response that is echoed throught all things mental health. It’s one thing to excuse logical fallacies in almost any other situation since most people can innately see their imperfections – but when “mental health” gets invoked, professionals start acting like intellectually challenged narcissists. Beyond just glaring examples of circular reasoning, the entire profession relies on near arbitrary appeals to authority and regular use of snowball fallacy (any case where someone is committed without showing prior criminal or physically violent behavior is an example of this being treated as fact).

    Of course, all untermenschen are meaningless in this country beyond existing as objects for pity and pretense of redemption. An involuntary stay in a psychiatric facility is, in effect, a death sentence to any sense of justice that one can rely on happening should they be murdered.

    The sheer irony of racial and gender related bigotry being hit this hard while other forms of bias are in a state that seems centuries out of date is glaring – so why is it so ignored?

    • There is plenty of news on Michael Thomas; I had no problem looking up the information. maybe you should use other sources besides The A.V. times.

  4. Are the rumors true, that he was caught molesting his girlfriend’s daughter? This is what is being said with new evidence. He was about to be charged with sex acts on a child.

  5. Fuller was under investigation for child molestation and hung himself.

    The Victorville “lynching” has been debunked and this one will be too but the families of both already knew the facts but should be held accountable for knowingly accusing cops/white supremacists when it’s their own family members who have killed themselves.

    You keep crying wolf and there is soon going to be nobody left to kneel.

  6. I’m sure there has to be CCTV footage somewhere… One of the last place to murder someone would be near a government building. Also, If it was mental health there has to be indicators so let’s see what’s divulged…

  7. If you need proof of racism in the AV, just look in the comment section of this article. It’s the only proof you need. (Hence why the idea of murder isn’t so absurd when it comes to the AV.)

    • Evidence of racism in Lancaster was mailed to households in the form of Rex’s racist political hit maulers that called an African American Veteran a gang candidate. Yet some so called community leaders in the African American and Hispanic community coddle up to Rex and carry his water. Pathetic.

      • It’s OK for Rex and his band of supporters because gang affiliation will scare voters away and keep him as the big bully of the AV. This is a sure fired racist term and would kill any campaign and it sure did this time. Yet the beat goes on With the bully!

    • If you saw a White feather float freely in the air and then it lands in between your sneakers, you would probably consider that as proof of racism as well.

      • It’s another aspect of racism to deny seeing it when it’s there. You win that prize Alby.

      • You sound very cruel Alby. Someone died and has a family. A little compassion would be more appropriate.

      • Are you kidding me? He was HUNG but you’re just gonna go ahead and compare him to a feather. Y’all makin some BOLD moves.

        • How do I respond to someone thats in the pot of nonsense and getting stirred so easily? I guess I just dont. Maybe stick your head out of it and get some fresh air? How about we all just [removed] each other ’till we all turn the same color, and racism will be factored out when it comes to injustices amongst individuals. And no I didn’t compare him to a feather. I’m just pointing out the sensitivities among the real racists.

  8. There is no pain too great to realize this loss. My heart is with you. Someone sat there suffered and unto death, rose again . . . And with you always in that image . . . I don;t want any pills. I adore my suffering and appreciate your loss as a similar guidance respectfully. And I love you like that person loves you. And it’s the only way I’ve ever made it. I keep telling myself . . . Help others . . . Help everyone else. Without anything else, I know who has you and them all . . . Bless you. <3

    • I cannot phathom how someone can hang himself by himself. He would have needed help. He was lynched.

    • No, it happened in my Midwest city a few years ago. Happened on a walking trail facing a busy steet.

    • You serious, just a few years ago a teenage girl hung herself in a tree while live-streaming it…it happens.

    • It happens, but it is rare. I hope for a very thorough investigation into his computer/Internet postings, etc. I would think there would be some indication, if it was a suicide.

      • So….. evidence of him purchasing the rope, leaving a suicide note, pending charges of molesting his girlfriends daughter and depression aren’t enough indication? The real tragedy in all of this is what has happened to that poor child. Enduring sexual abuse, being a victim of a kidnapping and watching her mom being assaulted and then watching someone get shot and die in front of her. It is going to take years of therapy for her to process all of that.

    • I can’t help but feel many here WISH the individual was lynched so they can use this guy death as a political tool for their own agenda. Or for a few extra virtue signal points on twitter perhaps….
      No evidence he was murdered as of yet. No evidence of any foul play as of yet Yet people are already banging on their keyboards, with the cap lock on claiming it was a lynching. You’re no better than a right wing extremist who prays a possible mass shooting was carried out by an Islamic extremist, so they feign outrage and push a political agenda.

      Was the body bound? Was their signs of a struggle? I.E: bruising, cuts, breaks, and other such injuries that are not typical of being hung?

      Also, no one kills themselves in public? Get real! Hell, I’ve had relatives who’ve done that!

      Stop trying to use a man’s death as a political tool until it’s proven it was anything other than suicide you conspiratorial ghouls!

      • To Big D,
        Point on, so true and very logical thinking. Seems to me IF it had been a “public lynching”, the “racists” responsible would have left their mark….for example a burning cross, painted racial slurs…SMH

    • I believe it was not suicide….. Someone or persons murdered him…… But what’s great is they will not get away with it, Because Every1 reapz what they’ve sown….. Karma, My friend will personally seek aft them….. Justice is not just within our actions but also nature’s….. We know the world hates, we still remain standing as we go through these birth-pains….. I say, Let My Pe0ple Go……!!!!!!

  13. and you know his hands were tied behind his back, that his feet were tied and that there was a hood over his hood? Where’d you get that information? I haven’t seen it anywhere. It can’t be that you’re just making that up in an attempt to rile people up, can it?

  14. Jas Waters just committed suicide too. She’s bIack. Nobody saying nothing about that.

  15. 28% of all bIack suicides are done by hanging. It’s a fact, look it up. It seems like a lot of militant bIack people or so-called “anti-racists” just want to keep stirring the pot to upset more people and have more of a reason to be destructive, and to loot and riot.

    • Let me get this straight. Are you saying more black people are killing themselves so others can riot and loot? They sacrifice their lives so OTHERS can continue to loot. I need to know. By the way statistically it’s the youth which are killing themselves via suicide. I suspect from the culture of social media bullying.

  16. there must be cameras somewhere? This seems highly suspicious. Most people who want to kill themselves do not do it in a public square.

    • Thank you. Both the “suicides” were in front of city buildings, within a week from each other. Where are the cameras and the face recognition the city just installed?

  17. Go fund me my ass….no one is responsible anymore. Take out burial insurance and quit begging from the public! I have to pay for mine and so should everyone else!!!!!!!

    • So don’t donate anything you big a$$ insensitive beatch. Surely not one single person will miss you when you die, because you are already dead inside and hollow where your heart should be. How awful of you.

    • I’m pretty sure his family wasn’t expecting their 26 year old to get lynched. But continue judging so you can feel better.

    • I’m sure they’ll be okay without your $20 donation, yet at the same time, I suggest you not be such a bitch when they weren’t expecting their son to be killed so soon.

  18. Fo sho it was suicide. He tied his hands behind his back, then tied his feet together then he put a hood over his head and then put on the noose before jumping out da tree.

  19. “Sadly, it is not the first such incident since the covid-19 pandemic began.” City officials stated. I’m very curious, how many other people have hung themselves from trees in Palmdale, CA in the past three months?

  20. They were so quick to figure out what they wanted to do about the protesters, almost declaring martial law, enforcing curfew. Why did this incident take a few days to get out there? With very little information released within that time period “condolences out to the family” Not one camera caught anything?? Bull**** if you ask me. Something isn’t adding up.

    • Don’t play the people and all is fine, the city has no buisness promoting death by suicide. Trying to spin the story backfired!

  21. You shouldn’t put things in your notes about what readers not connected say. That is here say and you are being an instigator. Post the facts and only the facts that you have investigated. It’s your duty to the public.

  22. A family is grieving. Unexpected visit to a funeral home. Planning a service. Overwhelmed by pain and fear of not knowing what to do next. Going through personal possessions. Be kind. No matter the circumstances. I am so sorry to the family. The pain will never go away. There are support group for parents who have lost adult children and one meets here in the AV. 3rd Friday every month. No one should ever have to bury a child, a cousin, a brother. In that picture I see a very wonderful person. It breaks my hear tot see a young person taken before having a chance to live.
    Be nice to each other.

  23. This was disgraceful. Your paper is not journalism and there is no WAY that boy killed himself. You did what you wanted to do and manipulate the situation. You should be ashamed.

  24. Reminder that 85% of interracial violent crime that involves blacks and whites is black-on-white:

    >https://www.amren.com/the-color-of-crime/

    Selectively highlighting much less common examples of white-on-black crime (if that’s even what this is, which everyone is assuming without evidence) is deceptive, and worse, incites blacks to commit even more crime against innocent whites than they already do.

  25. Surprising how attempted suicide is the presumptive conclusion givin the current situation the USA is facing; blatant racism and injustice towards people living here based on the color of their skin…

  26. Let’s not forget our usual AV Times racist jerks that comment here all the time. They probably know what happened, because if your are not white, you are not right, according to these a$$e$. Yeah, you know who you are. Shame on AV Times for always posting their rancid, putrid comments.

    • Listen, I hope you’re not referring to me. Ive posted nothing racist. But let’s say hypothetically there are actual racist comments here, and I haven’t read all the comments so there might be, but if there are, why censor them? Free speech is a thing. No one should be censored even if they say the most, despicable things.

      • You must be new here, we have our regular racist making awful comments here, Einstein. Read responses on various articles. They are so reprehensible that I refuse to use the name they use to post here.

      • By the way, the comments they make is not free speech, it’s hate speech, quite the difference. AV Times is always kept busy removing their racist rants.

        • There is only free speech. There is no such thing as hate speech in the legal sense. If you want hate speech laws, go to some communist country that suppresses free speech by law.

          • Hate speech is defined by Cambridge Dictionary as “public speech that expresses hate or encourages violence towards a person or group based on something such as race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation”.

          • I can’t reply to the comment from “You are welcome” directly, so I’ll post it here as well.

            YOU ARE WELCOME.

            That’s fine, but I don’t care what the definition of hate speech is. Hate Speech having a definition does not mean that it is meaningful in anyway legally. It isn’t. Legally, there is no such thing as hate speech.

          • The statements conveyed by Pallet Town Trainer, You are welcome and “and” intrigued me. So I set out with my buddy Google to find the REAL difference between Free Speech and Hate Speech and if they really exist in current times. I found this interesting so I thought I would share it with anyone who might be interested.

            from her book:

            Hate
            Why We Should Resist It With Free Speech, Not Censorship

            by Nadine Strossen

            Nadine writes:
            You very frequently get public officials and even lawyers saying “hate speech is not free speech.” But that is not correct! The Supreme Court never has created a category of speech that is defined by its hateful conduct, labeled it hate speech, and said that that is categorically excluded by the first amendment. Speech cannot be punished just because of its hateful content. But when you get beyond content and look at context, speech with a hateful message may be punished, if in a particular context it directly causes certain specific, imminent, serious harm — such as a genuine threat that means to instill a reasonable fear on the part of the person at whom the threat is targeted that he or she is going be subject to violence.

            makes sense to me!

  28. Hey- it seems YOUR job is to look for all evidence beyond police report, not your readers. Where is security cam from city hall, Fire dept? Both are right there. It seems you are the news organization- perhaps look into it??

    • Absolutely NO! I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS AT ALL! THIS YOUNG MAN WAS MURDERED. AND TO BE HUNG BY CITY HALL? Hell no. Investigate this immediately.

  29. According to investigators, there were no defensive wounds found on the man’s body.

    He was fully clothed and had a backpack on.

    There are not any security cameras at that location.

    Source: LACSD/KFI Radio.

    • If federal reserve has access to the above info, was there indication that he climbed upon something? How did you get this info?

  30. Who goes and hang themselves at CITY HALL? Why so quick to label it a suicide if you DON’T KNOW how he died? Is there a history of mental illness? Were his friends and family spoken to before labeling it a suicide?

    Do your JOB, because it will only make matters worst if it’s determined he was MURDERED.

    • A suicide by hanging is actually easy to distinguish from a homicide. There are characteristic patterns that any experienced investigator will immediately see upon examining the deceased while still suspended.

    • they didn’t label it a suicide. they labeled it a suspected suicide. there is a differenc.e

      • nope, the press release posted yesterday said “City Manager J.J. Murphy received confirmation that this unfortunate incident was a death by suicide. Sadly, it is not the first such incident since the COVID-19 pandemic began.”

        it seems as if they’ve backtracked now and called it “suspected”

      • Actually not at all. I promise you, if they say “suspected suicide” and it’s an African American, they’re sticking to that story bc they don’t wanna make matters worse.

    • Hmm.. just like there were no wounds on Breonna Taylor?!

      Some of the comments here are repulsive. If not based in discrimination what do you gain from commenting in opposition with people angry with this completely biased and poorly investigated article run without any questions being asked. It’s bad journalism and ethics!!! People should be mad. The truth will come out!

      This person arguing that hate speech isn’t hate speech because it’s not meaningful legally?! Newsflash being one of the only liberal democracies that’s the case is not a good thing – it’s because people like you holding us back from being a civilized country.

    • Really? I see plenty of black supremacists looting, burning, assaulting, and killing white people.

  32. How can you say that and not realize how racist and arrogant you sound? You doing okay? I’m having a hard time believing you can just be okay with saying that.

  33. I would like for the family to get their own autopsy, and not one from the police department. I know most people cant afford their own autopsy, this is why they allow what the police say to be left at that. Not, because the family believes what they say they just can’t afford an autopsy on their own, which leads to alot of people never known the truth about their loved ones. This could’ve happened the way the police stated, but what bothers me is what Lt. Dean, stated and how he used his words. He stated, passed issues with Mental health like he knew for sure without an autopsy. He, also rushed to suicide were he wanted it to be a suicide with no doubt and then again no autopsy. My point is to have you focus on suicide because their is no other reason for his death, which could’ve been someone else done this to him. Lt. Dean, seems to sure, he wants to leave you with no other thought, but to focus on Robert committed suicide. You never heard of black people killing themselves from covid-19, or better yet hanging themselves. I have heard, black people having a higher risk of dying from convit-19 because of obesity, high blood pressure, underlying conditions but not killing or hanging themselves. This is very suspicious to me its just something isn’t right.. This is very unlikely that this young man hung himself, the family most really look deep into this; and call professionals outside to check everything and look into his life as well because you all knew him best. Please the answers to what really happened is there, at this time to hang himself doesn’t sound right, but for someone else this would be perfect. This is to the black business owner, who stated racist isn’t there im so sorry, racism is everywere even were you’re and have been since centuries, so to make that statement is ridiculous; you’re living in a bubble world police officer are in every city, state, killing innocent black people; what excluded were you’re. Black on black crime must stop as well as racist white people. Do, your research were you live and I’m sure you will be shocked to what is happening around you, or maybe you already know and chose to be in denial. Whenever someone thinks their life matters and they’re superior over another race, this is a clear sign of Mental Health; which is a growing crisis that has and will continue to grow. Mental Health has been around since the centuries it existed and people didn’t know they were Mentally ill, just like today people are Mentally disturbed and know something is wrong; but are afraid or just dont care, some get the help while others think their normal. This is everywere, so I know racism is there. I pray for the family and hope the truth will prevail.

    • I had not considered it, but you are correct – when you read about who uses this method for suicide,
      and how they are found and the circumstances, this does not fit he profile at all. My child has had to know the anguish of having two acquaintances die this way. We talked about it a lot. We still talk about it. And I keep thinking about the grieving family. We lost our 20 something child, who was also a brother, cousin, best friend, uncle. The pain never goes away.

  34. 3 Possibilities:
    -Suicide
    -Murder
    -Political Statement
    I have yet to read any of the comments that he may of took his own life to make a political Statement about what’s going on. Why he or someone would do it next to City Hall???? but to make a Statement? Did they find any note I wonder? Something to think about????

  35. It is a tragedy to read about our young people the future of our great nation taking their own life. I read about the young boy Jean Pierre who has just graduated and died in Lancaster and now this young man in Palmdale. It is tough and I am not saying it is not tough what we are currently living. I encourage all of us to extend a helping hand to our neighbors, families and friends. Just pick up the phone and say: Hello. I am just checking up on you, because it has been nearly 3 months since I saw you last and I want you to know I care about you. People need to know they are loved. Do share the text and talk line 1 800-854-7711 and remember that if you do not have anything nice to say, silence is best.

    • Neither of these deaths most likely were related to suicide. Jean Pierre has a car accident, not intentional. Also I find it hard to believe that Robert also took his life. He was just in a Black Lives Matter protest, and when he was found his hands were tied. That doesn’t sound like suicide to me. Imagine if someone you loved was murdered, and everybody kept brushing it as “suicide”. It would make you angry.

  36. So what is this article supposed to report, a Lynching of a African male with absolutely no proof and/or witnesses-really. At a time when racial divide has permeated this country. That would be totally irresponsible. That would be total opinion based on what? The article is factual at the time of print. Obviously there is an on going investigation into this matter that will take time, so relax and take a breath. Suicides are investigated by LASD homicide investigators. I have confidence in the Law Enforcement community in the Antelope Valley. Stop already with this KKK crap with local law enforcement, show your proof or retract your baseless comments.

  38. how dare you frame this as “suspected suicide” in RACIST [removed] AMERICA IN 2020!!! Reporting is not unbiased.

  39. Lt Dean is truly sick for suggesting this is a suicide… and AV Times is truly sick for using the death of this young man to promote the cities mental health program!!!! How about you focus on the young man who lost his life, or were y’all paid to promote the mental health program instead smfh

    • They suggest what the evidence tells them. It’s kind of hard to put a person on a rope without other signs of struggle or abuse unless they did it to themselves.

      Blacks are incapable of accepting any responsibility for their own actions. It ALWAYS has to be the fault of whites. Every single time.

      • I really hope your mindset changes. 95% of the time, it actually is at the fault of the white man. Which is so sad yet angering that all the blacks that have been backed into a corner finally decided to SPEAK UP. But you’re chalking it up to “they can’t ever take responsibility”.

  40. “The Changing Characteristics of African-American Adolescent Suicides, 2001–2017,” was recently published in the Journal of Community Health. Khubchandani worked with James Price, a professor at the University of Toledo, on the study.

    To explore the nature of suicidal deaths and suicide attempts in African- American adolescents, researchers utilized the Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) and the Web-Based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) database from years 2001 to 2017.

    The study found:

    –Suicides were the second leading cause of death for AA adolescents.
    –In 2017, 68,528 African-American males and 94,760 females made suicide attempts serious enough that they had to be treated by health professionals.
    –Males were most likely to use firearms (52%) or to hang/suffocate themselves (34%) to commit suicide.
    –Females used hanging/suffocation (56%) or firearms (21%) to commit suicides.

    • Literally all of what you just said means absolutely NOTHING coming from you when you have your name under that.

  41. I would like for the family to get their own autopsy, and not one from the police department. I know most people cant afford their own autopsy, this is why they allow what the police say to be left at that. Not, because the family believes what they say they just can’t afford a real autopsy. This could’ve happened the way the police stated, but it is very unlikely that this young man hung himself, the family most really look deep deep into this; and call professionals outside to check everything and look into his life as well because you all knew him best. Please the answers to what really happened is there, at this time to hang himself doesn’t sound right, but for someone else this would be perfect. This is to the black business owner, who stated racist isn’t there im so sorry. But, racism is there and everyone and have been since the centuries, so to make that statement is ridiculous; you’re living in a bubble world police officer are in every city, state, killing innocent black people; what excluded were you’re. Black on black crime must stop as well as racist white people. Do, your research were you live and I’m sure you will be shocked to what is happening around you, or maybe you already know and chose to be in denial. Whenever someone thinks their life matters and they’re superior over another race, this is a clear sign of Mental Health; which is a growing crisis that has and will continue to grow. Mental Health has been around since the centuries it existed and people didn’t know they were Mentally ill, just like today people are Mentally disturbed and know something is wrong; but are afraid or just dont care, some get the help while others think their normal. This is everywere, so I know racism is there. I pray for the family and hope the truth will prevail.

    • Why is it unlikely? Because you want so desperately to be able to blame the white people you hate so openly? That you want to blame for all of your race’s problems?

      • So you’re just gonna ASUME she’s black bc she’s taking the side of the oppressed? Or is it bc she offended you? Asking for a friend.

  42. You all should be ashamed to call yourselves journalists. How can you possibly report this story as such? I’m not saying that it is your responsibility to make a call for action, but your lack of scepticism and promotion of such a clear avoidance of the implications around this young mans death is reprehensible.

    • Even cops aren’t stupid enough to make it this dramatic and public – likely a rival gang of drug dealers trying to make a point and incite a riot for shopping purposes..

      • And if he was white would you still assume it was gang related?? He was MURDERED! What’s wrong with you people?

    • It was probably gang related. East Palmdale after all does have a lot of gangbangers.

  44. I was hoping to read more about the young man along with more details regarding the investigation instead of meetings times and phone numbers to call if one is experiencing mental issues.

    • What is hard to believe?
      Who would have thought a white guy would blow up kids and adults in Oklahoma?
      Who had Jews killed by the millions?
      What is isis composed of? There needs to be a federal investigation. We will not suffer mad dogs.

  45. Black people DO NOT HANG THEMSELVES FROM TREES

    This was not a suicide this was a murder!!!

    • Suicide statistics and many, many past examples proves this to be completely false…
      … like every other jewish lie you apes repeat like the good little trained monkies you are.

      • You are a DISGUSTING excuse for a “human being”. They’re “repeating”??? Look in the mirror! I’m willing to bet my LIFE that you grew up racist, in a racist household, never knowing or accepting anyone else’s opinion. Sit down hershel.

    • Yes they have/do.I know of 3 personally. Don’t know what the facts are surrounding this case so no judgement there, however suicide is a terrible consequence of mental illness sometimes, and if the facts support something else, then we can pass judgment.

    • Yeah it probably was, but not by cops or white people, but by GANGBANGERS! Let us not forget EAST PALMDALE is full of them!

  46. This very. Learly not a suiside like I think it’s pretty clear was murder.these journalists need to stop using these types of titles.

  47. “This was no boating accident.”

    Explain how this is a “suspected suicide”. What percentage of suicides-by-hanging do so in a tree in front of the City Hall? What percentage of lynches are showcased with a tree in a very public area?

    • Every suicide done “in protest” is done in public. Like setting yourself on fire. It doesn’t mean anything if you do it in private.

      If there is literally zero evidence of a struggle, what do YOU base your claims of “ITZ MURDER!” on aside from your anti-white RACISM?

  48. Oh, for Pete’s sake. A young black man gets strung up in broad daylight during a time of heightened racial tension. Anyone with two eyes and half a brain cell can see that this was a racist lynching, and you have the nerve to suggest it was SUICIDE? Do you think your readers are really that stupid, or do you just not care about doing honest journalism?

    • To JA Barker,
      You are way off base. Fuller was found around 3:30 AM! That’s about as far away from “broad daylight” as you can get! SMH.

      The rest of your comment is

  49. How about we all do the logical thing and just wait for evidence. Cameras, autopsy, etc etc. Could be a murder or could be a suicide unless you’re the killer or he confessed a suicide before hand to you we all know nothing. We dont know what he was going through or if was actually killed by the hands of another person with time we will find out.

    • That’s so true, time will tell this is why the family needs to do their own autopsy and not with the shiefs office. While, they allow this to happen research his life, gather as a family and his close friends ask questions; get answers. Because, when you talk to others you learn, something you didn’t know and this will lead you directly to what really happened to this young man, rather he did it or someone else. Always, become your own investigator.

  50. What kind of reporting is this? You think its just the cops we want reformed? We want our media and journalists to change too, starting with false titles and contradictory reporting.

  54. How was this a suicide? Please stop reporting nonsense. Your little note at the end of the article is pathetic. Please show more respect for the family and friends of this person. This was a hate crime. Say it loud and proud or don’t call yourself the nEwS.

  56. That was meant to send a message… THat was no suicide. When people kill themselves and only themselves it’s because they want to end it because their pain is too much, making it a spur of the moment thing.. it it’s to end the pain of others it’s done quietly and far from where someone might come along and stop it. It was in Politician square ffs all the cameras the city has on every block … you cant tell me there aint no surveillance footage somewhere…
    If there isn’t them it must have been someone pretty high up on the totem pole that did this. But I cant for 1 second believe that someone would do it like this to leave more pain and dangerous tension between us and the cops/gov.
    As far as this news paper goes though dont count on ever getting the truth here. THey dont even know how to read the words ethics, or honesty… JS

    • That’s what I was telling people. …Where is the surveillance? The fact that the press and the police don’t mention “surveillance” is very suspicious. They’re no even saying there was no footage. It seems they’re hiding something.

  57. Instead of spreading hate and rumors….
    Let’s all remember that a young man is no longer with us and share our condolences with his family and friends.
    My sincere condolences go out to you all who are affected by this tragedy.

    • Th coroner was right. You’re listening to a paid celebrity who is an expert in nothing who gave his opinion based on talking to family members, who did not perform any sort of autopsy himself. He was never even in the same room as the body. Do even the smallest bit of research and you’ll see how much you are lied to every day by the media.

      Jews made you their slaves once; why do you continue to obey your jewish masters by blindly repeating their lies?

      • What is it with you and assumptions? How do you know they’re black? How do you know who they heard what from? I’m SICK of seeing you in these comments.

  59. This is such [removed]. They just held a KKK meeting in Palmdale and days later this [removed]? These people are looking for a war…this was NOT a suicide. Black people never once in history killed themselves by lynching. The fact that theyre posting Possible suicide shows the issue in this country

  60. CHANGE THE F***NG TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE IF OTHER “FACTORS ARE AT PLAY”

    THIS IS NOT RESPONSBILE JOURNALISM

    • This is _exactly_ what responsible journalism looks like.

      They have no solid sources for “other factors”. That’s hat people who have no connection to the case are insisting. Likely because they want something new to stoke their addiction to rage.

      Until there is anything verifiable to add, they are 100% in the right to report only the facts they currently have.

  61. If this guy looks like he “apparently” died of anything it’s a lynching, not a suicide. If there isn’t rock-solid proof this is a suicide, it looks a lot more like a racially-charged murder that law enforcement doesn’t even sound interested in investigating. They’re speculating mental health problems when it’s so much easier to speculate about racism in times like these? Come on …

    • Shut up! STOP blaming the police for everything for all your faults! STOP THIS NONE SENSE! STOP trying to shove blm down everyone’s throat. Start by being responsible for your own actions. Always blaming others whining speculating won’t get you anywhere.

  62. Did your reporter “verify” the information the police gave him/her? I didn’t think so.

  63. Possible, but not probable. I’ve yet to hear of a young Black man hanging himself…let alone so publicly. Again it’s possible he did this himself but you shouldn’t jump to the suicide conclusion until ALL the details are in. Do your jobs & investigate this thoroughly or expect whatever blowback you get from the press & public. It’s not a good look. “Must’ve been a suicide” is synonymous with “we don’t want to look too hard at something that might cause trouble or give us additional work”. At least where I come from.

    And to those jumping to the OPPOSITE conclusion that it must be a racially-motivated lynching: stop. We don’t have all the details either. Emotions are high right now (understandably) but that doesn’t mean every death is a murder. He may have had a history of mental illness & been pushed over the edge by the state of the world in 2020. I would be if not for my therapist.

    R.I.P. young man & peace to your family <3

  64. THIS IS SO OFFENSIVE! THIS WAS NOT A GD SUICIDE AND YOU KNOW IT!! HOW DARE YOU CALL THIS A SUICIDE!!!

    • How do you know it was a murder? Do you know this man? Do you know anything about him?

      Or do you see his skin color and trust your feelings to tell you what’s true?

      • Why do you believe it was suicide? Do you know those cops? Do you know anything about the situation?

        Or do you blindly believe everything the police say?

    • So all these bigot cowards expect us to believe this young man killed himself on display in the center of town? Better start practicing your second amendment rights Africans in America. They don’t want you here. And if you can’t stop them in their tracks immediately you’ll end up like Robert or Ahmad. Stop electric sliding with your oppressors. Tighten up. They been at war with blacks. All blacks want to do is dance, give hugs, and pray for the people doing all the killing. Stop the BS. Train for the war you are already in. Or get ready to be slaves again.

      • You’re right… we don’t want you here.
        And you’ve been slaves of the jews since they first brought you here.
        You’re still slaves of the jewish media, who’s endless LIES you repeat to this day.

  65. Are you serious! Take this crap down. You know this man did not hang himself from a tree! You know what this really is and I’m disgusted by your attempt to cover up the truth with this false headline! Take it down or report the truth! The media is next to be boycotted…starting with this outlet.!

  68. This is negligible!! To not state that the boy was found hanging as a lynching neglects the fact that many white supremacist live in Palmdale as we often see them.

  69. It’s been 2 days. The autopsy should be done by now. The family should have been spoken to by now. Security and traffic cameras should have been checked by now. The Mayor should have made a statement by now. It is irresponsible to, at the very least, to call this an apparent suicide. This is an apparent lynching. It is an apparent murder. It seems that the FBI needs to be called in to investigate. From this article, it doesn’t appear that the local homicide department is up to the task.

    • If there is no evidence of any struggle, no evidence of disturbed ground, no evidence of defensive wounds, there is no evidence of a murder. As such, it is a suspected suicide that is still under investigation.

      The only evidence the joggers have is how much you openly hate whites. That is all you base this on.
      And that is why whites rightfully grow weary of you. They are tired of dindus destroying their communities. And rightfully so.

  71. This is a damn Lie! He didnt hang himself. Y’all stop with the lies. LYNCHING is what it is.. Call it by its name.

  72. Press releases from the LA County Sheriff and Palmdale City officials should not have been your only sources before you ran this. Your “report” raises more questions than it answers. You need to get some additional reporting on this now (LATimes, NBCLA?); not just your own staff or a request to email the editor with more information.

  73. So what will you people do if they do find it on video that he did kill himself and you were all WRONG? Will you take back what you said?

      • Yeah. I only stayed in my house for the last 4 months. Never been to this area in Palmdale. Like im going to know something. You guys look really foolish just coming up with wild conspiracies. So if they do find a video showing he did kill himself will you stop all this nonsense.? Admit you were all WRONG ? Why do u want to just jump to conclusions with no proof at all.

    • Really is this your reply on this lynching. You people will have to pay very very soon.

      • “You people?” You are the very thing you accuse others of being. Knock it off, and stuff the threats.

      • Black people DO NOT HANG THEMSELVES FROM TREES

        This was NO SUICIDE….this was MURDER.

        Someone is covering something up.

    • Take back what? The fact that currently there was ZERO EVIDENCE of any foul play?
      Yes… that would be called updating a story after FACTS were presented.
      Just like the FACTS of every police shooting don’t change the minds of you violent [removed]
      You don’t CARE if he hung himself; you just want an excuse to kill whites and loot businesses.

  74. Prime example of tone-deaf and irresponsable journalism—if we can even call it journalism. This article is more akin to mindless propaganda or apathetic gossip! These are baseless claims that, at best, will serve to stoke the flames of the increasingly difficult racial relations in America; at worst, it will catalyze another nationwide outrage.

  75. Look up the definition of LYNCHING and only use the word when an actual fact. Most of you readers are promoting Civil Disobedience and many of you don’t know what the word means. It is a HATEFUL word.

  76. This is clearly murder, and a severe hate crime. Your wilful ignorance doesn’t erase the truth.

    • So what will you do if there is a camera and it shows he did commit suicide and you were dead wrong?

      • Dead wrong?
        Phrasing!

        To be honest though, this would be a horribly awful way to commit suicide at 20yo.

    • But not a LYNCHING Max.If you think it is, using your own words, your willful ignorance does not erase the truth.

  78. Name me one person in all of human history who hung themselves in the square of a public park outside city hall.

  79. Y’all are a group of clowns! Making all kinds accusations with no proof what so ever! A group of idiots trying stir up racial tensions! If you had any brains you wait to see what the coroners office findings are! I guess you are just showing your stupidity! Bravo!

  81. yo be straight up this man got LYNCHED by SOMEONE what you adult who has loved ones around him just commit suicide ????? Wtf is wrong with y’all there is a extreme racists killer out here like fuck that i hate how they try to sweep it under the rug , we should not stop investigating this make this bigger

  82. black man gets lynched and they claim it’s a suicide as if we’ve never seen that tricked used before. Palmdale is in for it!

  83. If you assume a black man hanging from a tree in the middle of the night is a suicide then i assume you are trying to help cover up a lynching.

  84. Jesus Christ. This is irresponsible at best — likely its actively participating in a coverup. If your only source of claims that its suicide — and not the lynching that it clearly is — is from cops (notorious liars) then quit your job. Municipalities are starved for local reporting but if this is where your head is out, dissolve this rag you call a paper. WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES FOR THIS CLAIM?!

  85. If it was in front of City Hall, there should be multiple surveillance cameras on the area.

    Why is that not noted in this “article”?

    Why does it actually jump to blaming Covid? It’s not the first incident you have seen? Do tell, what others have you seen?

    This “article” is irresponsible.

    • Covid is running around hanging people in front of City Hall and all the security cameras are mysteriously erased. Covid is crazy wicked. Yeah,….Covid. In a sheet.

  86. Canada and the rest of the world doesn’t believe this BS. Sounds like a cover up. Black lives matter.

  87. Not surprised that the media is covering up this lynching as a suicide but I’m sure as hell disgusted. You should be ASHAMED to call yourself a journalist when you can sit here and write this article knowing DAMN WELL THIS MAN DID NOT KILL HIMSELF!! WHILE YOU GET TO GO HOME TO YOUR FAMILY AT NIGHT AFTER LYING ABOUT THIS INNOCENT MANS DEATH HIS FAMILY IS UP WONDERING WHY SOMEONE WOULD DO SUCH A VILE THING TO THEIR BABY!!!

  89. This was a lynching. May his soul rest in peace, but we need an INVESTIGATION. If anyone has any idea how to do that, please leave a reply.

    • Usually the police would investigate something like a suspected murder. But in times like these we can just suspend stuff like that. Facts don’t really matter anyway. Maybe we just burn the whole city down and find a bunch of white cops to blame for this obvious murder. Make sure to defund police….perhaps we can find a local crack or meth dealer to give those public dollars too. Don’t forget to vote for Biden in 2020 everybody.

  90. With Everything Palmdale has gone through in its history cover ups are nothing new..Mental Illness is real and seem to be the scapegoat for many reasons.. Answers..words that come first..Investigate Investigate Investigate But Bring Someone From Outside to do it honestly!
    The Antelope Valley has a long history, and we know KKK had get-togethers in the Boondocks people in uniform too ..
    Officers use there badge to do whatever they want including beat people up.. So who knows how many crimes have been commited and are still being commited because people are too afraid for different reasons to come forward..As I said in the pasts Eyes in sky should record and pass video on I mean can’t video be used as evidence from a street light or maybe a kids drone..or cell phone..They said too much costs but I said than go solar, computerized and become a safe watched secured city..I mean everyone has a smart phone or smart tv these days get up with the times..

    By the way why wasn’t anyone patrolling on The Square Considering The past couple weeks I believe the city pays for security guards and 1 person can not get a rope in a tree that quick..

    • Kudos To The Officers & Personnel Trying to do there Jobs During this Time
      1 Bad Apple Does Not Spoil The Rest

      • Actually it does. Rotten apples give off a chemical that makes all the others around them rot. That’s why the entire quote is “As one bad apple spoils the others, so you must show no quarter to sin or sinners.” Or, “one bad apple spoils the bunch”

      • It took a whole bunch of people to list Breonna Taylor as having no injuries and deny forced entry in her police report.

        It took a whole bunch of people to get Philando Castile’s killer acquitted of second-degree manslaughter. There’s a whole bunch of people hiring consultancy from David Grossman after he was banned from Minneapolis in connection with Castile’s death.

        It took a whole bunch of people to make “Chokehold Jeri” the chief of Phoenix, Arizona after she lost her job in Oxnard, California for her department received too many lawsuits related to lethal force.

  91. There….is a reason why hanging oneself is generally not the way black people tend to commit suicide. This is an irresponsible article.

    • Plenty of blacks hang themselves. The article is just reporting the little information they have available to them. Do you want them to report this as a racist lynching when no evidence suggests that to be the case? That would be more irresponsible.

    • Some 28% of black suicides are by hangings in the US. Rates very similar to every other race. Shootings are the most common, strangulation is the second most common.

      Your illiteracy and racism against whites does not change the facts. It just makes everyone hate your race of violent idiots just a little bit more each day. The jews brought you here as slaves; why do you continue to obey your masters in the lying jewish media so blindly?

      • Strangulation and suicide by hanging aren’t the same thing you racist idiot. That 28% figure you keep quoting ALL OVER includes people who tie/wrap something around their airway, no hanging required. You keep stating it like 28% of the deaths of our black population are from hanging from a god damned tree!! Freaking boomer idiot. Go crawl back into the bunker you crawled out of to hide from the scary blacks and Jews you keep commenting about and maybe consider locking up those belts, ropes, guns (I just KNOW you have those) and other sharp objects for a bit bc you seem like someone who is mentally unstable and may harm yourself with them. Or maybe don’t hide those objects. Totally your call.

  92. Goodmorning Editor,
    The news, for most people, if how they get theire understanding of the enivroment arond them. As journalists there is a level of truth that is owed to the public. After reading the article by AV Times staff, 06-11-2020, I question whether this news station is able to keep that standard alive.
    The article startes with a title that misdirects and downplayed the situation. “Suspected Suicide”, thoughout the whole article there was no mention of signs of suicide yet it was plastered on the title. In the report you mention what a council spokemen said when referring to black men hanging from trees’ this isnt the first time’ and its clearly not the last. I question the social and racial stanidings of Antelope Valley Times. Anybody that feels they should down play a death for veiw or other personal racial reasons is a scoundrel and should be weeded out before the whole garden gets infected. Please do better.

    • Well racist lynchings are not a thing that occur normally anymore. Usually when someone is found hanging, it is as a result of a suicide. So that is why this is immediately thought to likely be a suspected suicide. Note* they are not saying it definitely was a suicide. They’re still investigating. Investigations take time.

      Also, since you’re so concerned with how such thigns are reported, then how would you report it? instead of calling it a suspected suicide, would you have preferred they instead called it a suspected lynching? Imagine the uproar that could cause, and when the full information is revealed and it is found to be nothing more than a suicide, will the chaos that that such a irresponsible headline caused have been worth it? Something like this can lead to the kind of riots we have seen recently. You want that to come to palmdale over a hate crime that may not be a hate crime at all?

  94. Now y’all know good and damn well this wasn’t a suicide. This journalism is irresponsible at best and insidious at worst. Check yourself…

    • Let’s find out the whole story before we rush to judgement.. people are getting themselves so riled up that it must be murder and it must be a lynching.. y’all have already committed to yourselves that it’s an open and shut case of lynching.. then if the real facts show it isn’t, your so far on the other side that it can’t be true if it doesn’t fit what you believe, you all want this to be a lynching so bad, that if it isn’t, you have essentially set yourselves up for failure by not waiting for all the facts.. if it indeed is a lynching then something has be done about it.. don’t assume automatically based on what you think probably happened. Maybe this guy was indeed depressed by the current situation of the world, covid/protest etc.. and if someone’s comment doesn’t fit your narratives or beliefs, don’t automatically assume racism, that’s the east way out of an argument.. “well if they don’t see it as I do then they’re racist” That’s utterly the whole issue with society right now. If someone doesn’t agree with what you say, then they are racist, it’s a cop out. Let’s hear the facts and wait for the autopsy before going psycho and wanting to start burning cities down.. YOU ALL SOUND LIKE THE CRAZY MF’s FROM THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS.. if you don’t know the story read up on it. And, you all sound like the nazis in the 30’s, riling each other up to fill everyone’s minds with lies and propaganda against the Jews.. In this situation y’all are the nazis and the conservatives are the Jews.. think about it! And use common sense when you do.. I’m sure I will get called racist and a trump lover etc.. man that ish is Soooo played out, come with something real and not just a presumptive “ oh damn he must be racist “

      • Please read something, anything, written by Jewish people about the Shoah. “Anti racists are like Nazis and conservatives are like the Jews” is slang for “All I know about the Holocaust I learned from clueless Facebook memes”.

  96. Why is there no reporter’s name attached to this story? A Black man is found hanging from a tree and you have already determined it was a suicide? Really?

    • Omg read the article!! It says suspected suicide that means it isn’t declared suicide geez!

  98. Even suicides are not framed as suicides this quickly. You’re using this country’s mental health crisis to cover up its ongoing racism because you want to avoid accountability in the form of protest and direct action.

    This isn’t journalism. This is state media.

  99. I find very convenient that this headline reads “Suspected Suicide…” before any formal investigation has been completed. It goes on to depict this young man as either mentally ill or unstable without any contact with a next of kin. Sounds way too coincidental that this happened amidst racial and political unrest in an area that is known for it’s racist and bigoted views. I say it’s a coverup Please do a thorough, complete investigation of the FACTS not someone’s skewed initial assumptions

  100. THIS IS [removed] DISGUCTING THAT YOU PLAY THIS OFF AS A SUICIDE. WE WILL FIGHT THIS WITH EVERYTHING WE HAVE. YOU RACIST AS NEWPAPER AND THIS RACIST [removed] CITY CAN [removed] ROT IN HELL

  101. The idea that a Black person would publicly hang themselves is ludicrous. This was a lynching and we cannot trust law enforcement to be honest about this given their history with Black civilians.

  103. This is 100% a cover up.
    Why would anyone publicly commit suicide. Suicide is a very private matter.

    Hanging a body of a young 20 yr old black man in front of city hall, that sounds like a lynching.

    The police need to be REAL and actually investigate. This is the problem in America right now.

  106. It seems irresponsible to immediately assume this was suicide when it could very well have been a lynching.

  107. Without any further details, calling a possible lynching a suicide could seem like a coverup?

    • Sounds like a cover up to me. They need to hire a third party to investigate this “suicide”. With everything that is happening now, I can’t trust city coroner’s report.

      • My condolences to the family sorry for your loss of a very young man

        I don’t see why you people have to meet racist comments when a young man takes his life quit saying it’s a hate crime or it’s a winching when you don’t even know you’re the kind of people would start off of things going you need to shut up and pay attention and then make decisions. And why does our community always have to say is because of the virus they should be sued for spreading this fake virus crap the virus is fake stop blaming the virus for things that go on in the city politicians created it the people have to end it

      • Let me get this straight…

        A black man is hanging from a tree outside of city hall and it is instantly deemed a suicide?

        Yep, that totally checks out. Good job Palmdale police, case closed. High fives all around!

        Now let’s step back into reality, this wholeheartedly reeks of [removed]. To deem this a suicide, without even announcing a full fledged investigation at a minimum, looks like the boys in blue are cleaning up the mess left from their brothers in white.

        Also, way to go AV Times, this article is written like you are trying to slough this off and move on. You should be the ones calling for more details. Clearly you’re not an investigative journal and merely a bunch of tired washed up yearbook editors, accepting the grim reality that your glory days are long gone. I got to ask though, did you put the high school sports writer on this one? Because you’re tired of watching them meander around the office, practicing their golf swing? Hold yourselves to a higher standard.

        This is a tragedy and a shame on the city.

        Justice for Robert!

    • Calling a possible suicide a lynching is just as conspiratorial. What the HELL is wrong with this country? You’d also have to be an idiot to lynch someone up in front of city hall for the same reasons that so many in the comments seem to be saying he would NOT. Seems the person most likely to do so would be the one who has nothing to live for