By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – FBI agents and officials with the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District are investigating what they call a racially charged incident at a treatment plant in Lemay.
Last week someone hung a stuffed monkey in the locker of an African-American worker.
MSD spokesman Lance LeComb said the incident is being taken seriously.
"We don't know if the act was conducted by one person or several people, or if one person did it and several people know about it," LeComb said. "If we identify anybody who is aware of this and has withheld information, will treat that the same as if the person had done the act himself."
LeComb said anyone found to be involved will be fired.
Similar incidents at St. Louis firehouses late last year also prompted FBI investigations, but the bureau concluded the actions were not hate crimes.