Authorities investigating rope found in shape of noose at Gaithersburg post office

An investigation is underway after a rope was found in the shape of a noose at a post office in Gaithersburg.

The FBI and the U.S. Postal Service have confirmed the rope was found in the vehicle maintenance facility of the post office located along Shady Grove Road. A Postal Service representative said it was found on a hook of a piece of equipment.

The United States Postal Inspection Service say it is investigating the incident. Officials say they are trying to determine if it was actually a noose.

Over the last year, there have been several nooses found around the D.C. region that include the campus of American University, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, a construction site in Southeast D.C., a fraternity house at the University of Maryland, a middle school in Anne Arundel County in Maryland, and in a neighborhood in Montgomery Village in Maryland.