No foul play found in hanging death of homeless Black man
Candles and signs are placed beneath the tree where Malcolm Harsch, a 38-year-old black man, was allegedly found hanged, June 16, 2020, in Victorville, California. - Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found on May 31 hanging from a tree near a homeless encampme
VICTORVILLE, Calif. - Video has confirmed there wasn't any foul play in the death of a Black man found hanging from a tree at a Southern California homeless encampment, authorities said Friday.
Malcolm Harsch, 38, was found the morning of May 31 in a dirt field in Victorville, a desert city northeast of Los Angeles. His girlfriend called 911 to report that he had hanged himself, according to a statement from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
The woman said they had been together earlier in the morning but separated for a brief time when she returned to her tent.
People in the encampment cut down Harsch but efforts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy didn't find any sign of foul play, the Sheriff's Department said.
Detectives also got surveillance video from a nearby vacant building that “confirmed the absence of foul play," the statement said.
“Although there remains no sign of foul play, the forensic pathologist is waiting for toxicology results before assigning the cause and manner of death," the statement added.
Family members were shown the video at their request, according to the department. The family had issued a statement Saturday that they were concerned Harsch’s death would be ruled a suicide to avoid further attention.