30 pledges found covered in food in frat basement in Madison, Wisconsin — two arrested
Police in Madison, Wisconsin arrested two fraternity leaders after finding roughly 30 partially clothed pledges in a sweltering basement covered in food and condiments.
Fraternity leaders arrested after pledges found injured in basement during rush week
Police in Madison, Wisconsin, arrested two fraternity leaders after discovering approximately 30 partially clothed young men crammed into a sweltering basement, covered in food, condiments and other liquids, with several showing visible signs of physical assault, authorities said. Fox News Digital reported on the incident, which took place at an Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) house on Langdon Street.
Officers from the Madison Police Department were dispatched to the property around 8:20 p.m. on Wednesday, following an anonymous tip about hazing. Inside the basement, the thermostat had been set to 81 degrees Fahrenheit, producing hot and humid conditions. The vast majority of those found inside were 18 years old, police said.
Officers declared the gathering unlawful, escorted everyone outside, and checked the pledges for injuries and signs of incapacitation.
Arrests and charges
Fraternity president Brayden J. Klein and vice president Samuel N. Vane, both 20, were arrested on allegations of hazing and disorderly conduct and taken to Dane County Jail. Madison Police Captain Kipp Hartman confirmed both offences are classified as misdemeanours, and said the Dane County District Attorney's Office will review the case.
Hartman said he personally observed what appeared to be fresh redness and marks potentially consistent with having been struck, but noted no open wounds were visible. He added that he was not aware of anyone being transported for medical treatment.
Investigation ongoing amid limited cooperation
Investigators are still working to establish exactly what occurred inside the house. Hartman said officers encountered inconsistencies when interviewing those present at the scene.
"We had limited cooperation," Hartman said.
Some statements obtained at the scene "did not align with what everybody else's statements were," Hartman said, raising concerns for investigators. He said he believes all individuals involved were University of Wisconsin-Madison students, and noted the incident took place during the university's rush week.
Chapter's status disputed
The Madison Police Department said the AEPi chapter is not recognised or accredited by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was terminated by the university more than a decade ago. Alpha Epsilon Pi's national organisation, however, told Fox News Digital it continues to recognise the Madison chapter.
Jonathan Pierce, the fraternity's chief communications officer, confirmed that AEPi regards its Madison chapter as active and said members remain subject to the national organisation's health and safety policies.
"AEPi Headquarters takes the allegations involving our Pi Chapter in Madison, Wisconsin, extremely seriously," Pierce said in a statement. "We will cooperate fully with the authorities investigating this matter."
Pierce said any member found responsible for criminal conduct would be expelled and that AEPi would support prosecution.
National organisation condemns hazing
Alpha Epsilon Pi describes itself as "the world's Jewish college fraternity," with chapters on more than 150 college campuses across four countries.
In its statement, the national organisation said hazing represented a fundamental breach of its values.
"Hazing is a betrayal of everything our fraternity stands for. There is no place for it in AEPi," the statement read. "No exceptions. No excuses. We educate our members about their responsibility to 'Be Your Brothers' Keeper.' This is not an optional value."
The statement added: "Anyone who engages in hazing forfeits the privilege of being an AEPi brother."
Fox News Digital said it also reached out to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the fraternity's local chapter for comment.
Source: Google News MT