Noose found at Meta construction site in Eagle Mountain

Mar 21, 2022, 12:30 PM | Updated: Mar 22, 2022, 4:36 am

facebook racial slur noose eagle mountain...

FILE: Graffiti found in November 2021 at a Facebook construction site in Eagle Mountain. Someone wrote "Kill a n----- day 11-29" inside a port-a-potty at the construction site. In March, the construction company said it became aware someone left a noose at the site, but they did not say where. Photo: Utah County Sheriff's Office

BY MARTHA HARRIS

Former Reporter

EAGLE MOUNTAIN, Utah — The Utah County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the discovery of a noose, found Friday at the Meta construction site in Eagle Mountain. Meta is the parent company of Facebook.

Noose not first case of vandalism at Eagle Mountain site

Threatening language and a racial slur were found at the site in November. Facebook offered a $50,000 reward for information helping to identify a suspect. Sgt. Spencer Cannon, a spokesperson for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, said they never found the person or persons responsible.

Cannon said deputies investigated several incidents at this construction site, several clearly racially motivated.

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A spokesperson for Mortenson Construction, Cameron Snyder, confirmed in an email statement that the company knows about the noose. They sent all employees home after the discovery. Mortenson Construction oversees the construction site.

“Mortenson’s priority is the safety and welfare of our team members and everyone on our projects. We are responding to and investigating a noose found on the ground at the Eagle Mountain project site. We strongly condemn and have zero tolerance for hate, racism or bigotry in any form, and we have a clear anti-harassment, anti-discrimination policy,” the statement said.

Utah County to investigate noose discovery in Eagle Mountain

Snyder said the company is working with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and a private investigator to identify the person responsible for the incident. The company did not specify where they discovered the noose. Past vandalism appeared on a portable toilet. Snyder said they found no other vandalism last week.

“We empathize with the many men and women working on this project whose values are not represented by what has occurred. Mortenson is committed to creating and upholding a culture of inclusion, fostering a diverse workforce, and to maintaining an environment where safety, dignity, and respect for everyone on our project is paramount,” the statement said.

Cannon said they received a call about the incident but do not have any leads on who is responsible. Cannon said there was nothing written by the rope.