A disturbing discovery at an area prison, an image of racial violence and hate. Now, the man who says he found a noose at his place of work is speaking out.

Phil Greene is a carpenter by trade with the Rochester Carpenters Union. He is employed by the Massa Construction Company in Geneva. Greene says after two months of working as a contractor at Groveland Correctional Facility, working from building to building and framing new prison doors, he walked into work Friday at 7 a.m. and made a disturbing discovery.

“So what happened was the blade I had for my saw I had to go down to another building further down the road to get a new saw blade,” said Greene. “That’s when I went down to the new building to get a new saw blade, and we discovered the noose hanging on the building.”

Greene says he immediately went to his foreman to report the discovery of what appears to be a seven-foot rope noose.

"I couldn't believe it,” said Greene. “I thought it wasn't real. Really? At a prison? I'm just looking up and it's hanging from the top of the doorway. My partner went up there and tried to snatch it down so he had to get a ladder to climb up there and unhook it. Immediately, I told my foreman what had happened; and he needs to get everyone together because we need to find out what's going on."

Greene says he is hurt by what appears to be a hateful incident, as he is the only black carpenter working at Groveland Correctional Facility. He left work shortly after the discovery. He says his employer, Massa Construction, took proper measures to look into the matter.

"There was just a lot going on so he told me if you aren't feeling comfortable take the rest of the day off,” said Greene. “So, that's what I did and then I heard that the state troopers came; people got interviewed..."

The state Department of Corrections says New York State Police are handling the investigation. The Livingston County district attorney confirms his office is also involved.

Greene says he went back to work Tuesday and when he got there, he was told someone had been fired in connection with the incident. Spectrum News reached out to his employer, but they did not immediately return a request for comment.

For Greene, there are still many unanswered questions.

"We're here sweating here, doing the same thing,” said Greene. “No matter what, what you feel about me at the same token, I'm a human and you are a human; one day they never know who they are going to need."