TALLAHASEE, Fla. – The man behind a racist post to social media showing Florida State head football coach Willie Taggart being lynched has been fired.
ESPN reports the unidentified man was fired from his job with Hilton Grand Vacations.
Recommended Videos
"Our concern regarding this situation has been a top priority," Lauren George, a spokeswoman for Hilton Grand Vacations, said of the employee. "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."
The post, under the name Tom Shand, was made after the Seminoles lost to the Florida Gators on Saturday, ending the school's 41-year streak of winning seasons.
An image of Taggart, the school's first black coach, was superimposed onto a historical image of a lynching.
"I'm dead [expletive] serious. This is how far I'm willing to go to get rid of this clown!!!" the caption to the post read. Facebook eventually removed the post.
Lynching was used to terrorize and kill black Americans across the U.S. South for decades. Taggart is black.
School officials issued a statement Sunday indicating the post was being investigated and that they stood behind Taggart.
"A recent racist social media post aimed at our football coach is ignorant and despicable. I speak for the entire FSU community in expressing our disgust and extreme disappointment, and I am glad the state attorney is investigating," FSU President John Thrasher said.