CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte woman says she was shopping at The Home Depot in Northeast Charlotte when she discovered two nooses hanging in one of the aisles.
Hattie Leonard says she went into the store in University City Friday around 11:30 a.m. While she was in one of the aisles shopping for some screws, she overheard another customer and a store employee having a heated discussion.
When Leonard turned around to see what they were talking about, she saw two nooses hanging from two large spools of rope.
“I was shocked,” Leonard exclaimed. “I was like 'oh my God! You know, this is unbelievable.’ You know, it's just one of those things that you don't expect to see.”
The other customer told the employee that he was offended by the nooses and demanded someone remove them immediately.
Leonard says that a store employee told them the nooses were “not a big deal”; a short time later another employee came over and began taking them down.
Leonard filed a complaint with the company.
“I have the faintest idea how or why that was there,” Leonard says. “But it was not a good look at all. Taking what’s going on now, right now, it’s just not good.”
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is now investigating.
The company released this statement to WCNC Charlotte:
“The Home Depot does not tolerate racism or discrimination, period. We're appalled and disturbed by this incident. We're investigating it diligently and are working with law enforcement."