A University of Illinois sophomore has been arrested and charged with a hate crime after he allegedly placed a noose in the campus residence hall.
Andrew Smith, 19-year-old, was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and committing a hate crime following reports and photos of the hanging noose inside an elevator emerged on social media.
"Our mission at the University Police Department is to maintain a safe and secure environment where our campus community members feel supported and successful," Police Chief Craig Stone said in a statement. "We do not tolerate incidents that are perceived by others to be a threat to their safety, and we will always respond quickly to identify offenders and hold them accountable for those actions."
Smith was released on $5,000 bond.
