Miami University fraternity suspended amid 'inhumane' hazing allegations
A fraternity at Miami University in Ohio has been suspended after a student complained of "inhumane" hazing, according to a hazing incident report obtained by ABC News.
According to the report, which was made by a member of another fraternity, an unnamed student was "coerced and forced into accepting a Bid at Sigma Alpha Epsilon," after which he was allegedly "hazed for multiple days and was forced to cut communication with all others."
The student was allegedly "required to ingest an entire can of chewing tobacco and then do a handstand." He vomited as a result, and "was then told to eat the throw up," though the report states he did not.
Students pledging the fraternity were also "forced to do wall sits while covered in baby oil" and forced to drink every time they slipped, the report states.
They were allegedly also forced to stay in a basement and not permitted to leave except for food and showers, it states.
In a message the alleged victim showed the reporting student, an active member allegedly threatened a pledge, saying he would hold a "12 gauge down his throat and watch his brain splatter."
As a result of the alleged hazing, the unnamed student contacted the student who made the report and asked to join his fraternity instead, saying Sigma Alpha Epsilon "was not the right fit for him," the report states.
"During this phone call I noticed that his voice sounded shaky and fearful," it states.
Upon informing Sigma Alpha Epsilon he would be dropping out of the pledging process, members allegedly tried to convince him to stay, according to the report.
Members "said things such as 'the first week is always the hardest' 'you'll see why we do all the things we do' 'we all had to go through it' 'some of the guys haze just to haze,'" the report states.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon was suspended as a result of the hazing incident report, the student newspaper, The Miami Student, first reported.
A spokesperson for the university did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News but confirmed the suspension in a statement to local ABC affiliate WCPO.
"A Miami University Greek organization (Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity) is under investigation and its activities have been summarily suspended by the Office of Community Standards for allegations of hazing," the statement said.
The fraternity chapter, as well as the national organization, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
