A fraternity pledge at Miami University in Ohio claims that he was forced to drink large amounts of alcohol and smoke cannabis, and was beaten with a spiked paddle during a hazing ritual at the Delta Tau Delta fraternity house March 16.
The student, who remains unnamed, reportedly pleaded to his alleged abusers, “call 911 I feel like I’m going to die.” He claimed in an incident report filed with the university that he suffered “paddling leading to bruising and cuts with a paddle with spikes and grooves hitting me 15 times on the buttocks,” according to a Dayton Daily News report published Monday.
Along with the forced consumption of cannabis and alcohol, he claims he also experienced other forms of abuse during the event such as “spitting in face” and “kicking.” (RELATED: Sorority And Fraternity Groups Sue Harvard Over Single-Gender Social Group Penalties)
“I was blindfolded alongside 24 other pledges and we all waited in a room for about 1.5 hours while very scary music was playing,” the report reads.
Authorities eventually did appear at the scene after someone called 911. The student was taken from the fraternity house on a stretcher and transported to the hospital in an ambulance, according to the incident report.
“The emergency squad showed up and took me on a stretcher … the … ambulance where I then spent roughly 7 hours in the hospital with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .231 and was released at approximately 7:15 a.m. Sunday (March 17) morning,” the report reads.
The report detailing the unnamed student’s account of events contains several redactions for the protection of the student’s privacy, as well as for investigative purposes. (RELATED: Yale Students Want Girls Admitted Into Frats To Fix ‘Toxic Sexual Culture’)
The fraternity was suspended by the university on Friday for their conduct, and given until Monday to vacate their house, according to Fox News.
Miami University President Gregory Crawford condemned the fraternity’s behavior in a written statement to the college community Friday, WCPO-TV reported.
“The contents of this report are brutal and deplorable and have brought us to a tipping point on this campus,” he wrote, adding that he was “disheartened and outraged” by the incident.
Jack Kreman, the chief executive of Delta Tau Delta, said in a statement, “hazing has no place within Delta Tau Delta.”
“Despite intentional effort to educate members through national resources and local volunteer guidance, chapter members chose to treat new members inappropriately. The fraternity has no tolerance for such behavior and those involved will be held accountable,” he said.