University of Kentucky police are investigating who hung an effigy believed to be Democrat Sen. Barack Obama from a tree on the Lexington campus Wednesday morning.
UK President Lee Todd, after a news conference Wednesday, said that UK police have notified federal authorities of the incident. Todd said a professor saw the effigy on the tree near the Rose Street parking garage across from the Mining and Minerals building this morning and called police. The professor then sent Todd an email notifying him of the incident.
UK police took down the effigy and have it as evidence, Todd said. Todd said anyone with any information about the incident should contact UK police. The effigy was likely placed there sometime overnight. But it's in a well-traveled area and police are hoping that someone saw something, Todd said.
Todd called the act "deplorable" and "abominal" and says that type of behavior is not tolerated on UK's campus.
"We've done many, many things to increase diversity," Todd said. "I know this is not a reflection of this institution."
Todd said UK's lawyers are looking into whether a student could be punished for hanging the effigy. But it's not clear if UK students were involved.
UK Vice President of Public Safety and former Lexington Police Chief Anthany Beatty has notified the federal authorities, including the Secret Service.
Read the full story at Kentucky.com.