Black Muslim Teen Hanged, FBI Investigates Possible Lynching In Seattle

The FBI will be reviewing the hanging death of a black, Muslim teen, following please made by the child's family.

Ben Keita, an 18-year-old, was found hanging from a tree in a wooded area near his family's home in Lake Stevens, Washington, back in January. Although the cause of death was initially ruled a suicide, Keita's family pressed for more information, leading to not only the medical examiner changing the ruling to undetermined, but the FBI getting involved too.

"[He had] no history of depression, anxiety, any psychological breakdown at all, so he was a very...happy young man," Keita's father, Ibrahima, said in an interview with KIRO 7.

In that same report from KIRO 7, the FBI confirmed in a statement that it "is communicating with our police partners. We are aware of circumstances of the individual's death and will review them with consideration of federal law. If warranted, we may conduct further investigation."

Keita had originally disappeared back in November of last year, leaving behind his car, wallet and phone. When he was found tow months later near his home, Keita's death was ruled a suicide by a Snohomish County medical examiner.

However, the medical examiner cited two reasons for the change in the recent ruling: one, a K-9 unit searched the same area weeks earlier and did not find Keita's body; and two, that the rope from which Keita hung from was tied 50 feet high in the tree.

Along with the FBI's participation, the Washington Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has also gotten involved with the review.

"We just want to make sure that the expertise, the experience and the human resources of the FBI are brought to make sure everything is comprehensively investigated, no stone is left unturned," Washington CAIR Executive Director Arsalan Bukhari said to KIRO 7.