Sisters got an unwelcome surprise while shopping for a birthday gift for their elderly mother at a Brandywine Hundred store.
"It was rage to see something like that, that close," said Lyonni Flowers. "I wanted answers."
Flowers and her sister Lisa were stunned to find a noose, they said, hanging in Aisle 10 at Home Depot on Miller Road.
"It's like a sign, like 'we're still here, and this can still happen,'" said Lisa Flowers. "It makes me think of that rope hanging from a tree, either someone was just hanging from it, or someone was about to be hung from it."
Lisa Flowers posted a photograph of her sister holding the noose to Facebook, saying "NO IT'S NOT OK." The post has since gone viral, prompting hundreds of shares and comments.
Also on Facebook, publicly, Lisa Flowers posted:
"The nails next to this piece of ignorance is what I went to purchase...as you can see this is how close I was to this hanging piece of crap! My sister, daughter and brother were at the end of this aisle (#10) looking at a screen door that we were going to purchase as a surprise for Mom's birthday on tomorrow. Ohhh... we're still going to get the door, best believe NOT FROM HOME DEPOT! You can't tell me that no one else did not see this neatly tied, infact expertly tied NOOSE hanging in aisle 10 @ Home Depot on Miller Road in Wilmington Delaware. Sorry I'm not sorry...ignorance is taught, you just fell on the smart folks who know better! Know better enough that you (HOME DEPOT)should know WE know better! After all this is OUR neighborhood! #StayWoke!"
Lyonni Flowers also posted publicly about the incident on Facebook.
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"Yes I will continue to say that it's not okay until you witness what I've witnessed you can't speak on it to have someone say oh those knots are used for suicide those knots are used to tame animals those knots are used for Sailors but that manager did not say any of that to us yes it could have been a customer it could have been an employee but I want to know how many employees walk past that and didn't do anything if it was okay that manager would have said so so it is a big deal and i will not stop telling my facts do i blame home depot for having rope no. I blame them for not being aware. I blame them for sending and employee to handle this mater instead of himself because he thought changing a light bulb was more important."
The Flowers said they alerted a store manager, who cut the noose down with a small knife. They said that employee initially blamed the incident on a customer.
"They rolled the spool back up because it was up high. Literally, I had to [grab] and snatch it down...so they knew what they were doing,"
"It was too perfect," said Lisa Flowers.
The sisters said they left empty-handed, feeling angry and threatened by the symbol of hate, and said they'll never step foot in another Home Depot.
"You hear about it on TV and in other places, but you never expect for it to be right above your head," said Lisa Flowers.
A spokeswoman for Home Depot said they're actively investigating the incident.
"We're appalled and disturbed by this incident; we're investigating it diligently and are working with law enforcement," Margaret Smith, senior manager for corporate communications with Home Depot.
It's unclear whether there is surveillance video of the incident.