No hate crime at University of Delaware, officials say

NEWARK, Del. -- The University of Delaware says three items found hanging from a tree on campus were not nooses, but remnants of paper lanterns left over from an event.

Interim university President Nancy Targett initially announced Wednesday that the discovery of the items hanging in front of a campus building Tuesday night prompted a hate crime investigation.

But in a statement posted online around daybreak, Targett says the investigation found that the items weren't instruments of a hate crime, but left over from an event on The Green, a campus open space.

Still, Targett says the incident revealed the campus' sensitivity to the potential issue and shows a need for "continuing dialogue."

She invited the community to gather Wednesday afternoon.

The discovery initially sparked an outcry on social media from students and others.