Hilton Grand Vacations has fired an employee who posted a picture on social media that showed a lynching of Florida State head coach Willie Taggart.
The image touched off a social media firestorm and a formal investigation by Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell.
The Orlando-based company initially suspended its team member while it investigated the racist post. By mid-afternoon, it went further.
"Our concern regarding this situation has been a top priority," said Lauren George, a spokeswoman for Hilton Grand Vacations. "The person responsible for posting this information has been terminated. His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and the furthest example from being a reflection of our company’s values."
George declined to confirm the name and length of tenure of the employee, citing confidentiality. The post has been linked to a Tom Shand's social media account.
Posted in the wake of FSU's 41-14 defeat Saturday against the Florida Gators, the antebellum image shows Taggart's face atop the body of a black man hanging from a tree.
Taggart, who completed his first season with the Seminoles, is the first black head football coach in FSU's history. The team had a losing, 5-7 record and is ineligible for a bowl game for the first time in more than three decades.
Campbell said his office was made aware of the post on Saturday and launched an investigation along with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and FSU Police Department.
Campbell confirmed his office was investigating the Facebook post. However, he said he only knew Shand's name based on media accounts and a screenshot of the post.
“It’s hard for me to prosecute a Facebook post,” Campbell said. “That’s why we’re working with our law enforcement partners to find out what the true facts are. Then I can make a determination of what charges are appropriate.”
Part of the investigation is determining where the post originated and what venue prosecution would take place in, Campbell said.
“Any threat of violence to anybody in this community – he’s a father, a husband and a member of our community – we’re going to investigate it to the fullest extent possible.”
Garnet and Great
Christopher Holder, a Tallahassee native and lifelong Seminoles fan who created the "Garnet and Great" Facebook group for fans and former players, said the lynching image of Taggart appeared in the comments section of a post he made to encourage fans despite the tough season.
Holder said he deleted the image and blocked Shand from further access to the group, where'd he'd been a member for three years.
"He was pretty much a jerk when I contacted him, and he pretty much started cursing me out,” Holder said.
Within minutes, Holder said he was contacted by others who'd seen the image circulating on Facebook and Twitter. Holder made another post that included Shand's LinkedIn page, which included a photo and employer details. He encouraged people to alert Hilton Grand Vacations.
"It’s a sad sight that I hate about social media that someone can make a comment and think it doesn’t hurt anybody," Holder said. "He’s just a troll and that’s the sad part. I’m hoping to stop this kind of stuff."
'Demeaning and degrading'
FSU President John Thrasher called the social media post "ignorant and despicable" on Twitter Sunday.
"I speak for the entire FSU community in expressing our disgust and extreme disappointment, and I am glad the state attorney is investigating. Coach Taggart has our full support and as true Seminoles know, he is a respected member of the FSU family."
Community leaders, including Bethel Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr., echoed Thrasher's statements.
"In this community, we condemn those kinds of statements," he said. "And we need to call people out when they make any kind of divisive, demeaning and degrading statement that is clearly racist and racism.”
The social media post riled many Seminoles. FSU alumnus and fan Adam Tolliver said he was glad the man was taken to task and held accountable for the offensive post.
“It’s important for FSU fans to be on the defense to make sure that people are keeping the conversation about football and not color,” Tolliver said. “It’s a good thing that so many fans are trying to make sure that people don’t take it that route.”
Bobby Bowden's take
Legendary retired Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden also was dismayed to hear about the post.
“It’s a cruel joke – you don’t need those,” Bowden told the Democrat.
Bowden has felt the wrath of fans, too.
He was hung in effigy following a 4-7 season at West Virginia in 1974, his fifth season with the Mountaineers. A dummy with his name on it was placed in a tree near his office. Students also hung a sheet outside their dormitory that read “Bye-bye Bobby.” At FSU, fans grew frustrated with Bowden near the end of his tenure with the Seminoles. He was forced into retirement following the 2009 season with 304 wins and two national titles.
“It’s the nature of the job,” Bowden said. “You can’t let it bother you."
Bowden recalled that his son Tommy and West Virginia lineman Dave Van Halanger, who later served as FSU’s strength coach under Bowden from 1983-2000, planned to take matters into their own hands in 1974 in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Bowden said Tommy climbed the tree before being stopped by a policeman. Tommy explained he wasn’t taking down the dummy, only adding pillows to its midsection because it wasn’t “as fat” as his dad. Tommy and Van Halanger, however, did knock on the dormitory door of the student who hung the sheet outside his window.
“The guy wore glasses, weighed about 120 pounds and probably couldn’t break a window pane – they laughed and just left,” Bowden said and chuckled.
Bowden is pulling for Taggart.
“He’s a good guy; that has been his nature,” Bowden said, noting that the program will make a comeback. “It has been done at Florida State before.”
Reporter Wayne McGahee III contributed to this report.
Contact TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com or follow @TaMarynWaters on Twitter.
