Fraternity Hazing Incident Raises Concerns

On Wednesday, police found 30 “partially clothed males covered in food, condiments, and other liquids” in the heat of a basement at an unaccredited fraternity house near the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This discovery came after they received an anonymous tip-off about the situation. The majority of those involved were reportedly around 18 years old.

“Officers were dispatched to the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity located on the 100 block of Langdon Street at approximately 8:20 p.m.,” shared the Madison Police Department, while also releasing a photo that depicts what they have termed a “hazing incident.”

Authorities identified Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) as an unrecognized and unaccredited organization that was terminated by the university over a decade ago. Conditions within the basement were concerning, with police reporting that it was about 81 degrees Fahrenheit and several of the young men displayed signs of physical assault.

Brayden Klein, the fraternity president, along with vice president Samuel Vane—both aged 20—were taken into custody on suspicion of hazing and disorderly conduct. Following their arrest, a statement issued by the fraternity indicated, “Any member found responsible for criminal conduct in this matter will be expelled from AEPi, and we will support prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.” They also expressed a willingness to work with the university to address violations of the student code of conduct.

According to reports from the Associated Press, Klein and Vane were arrested on tentative misdemeanor charges of hazing and disorderly conduct, though as of Friday morning, formal charges had not yet been filed.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison clarified that the fraternity “is legally allowed to call itself a fraternity chapter unaffiliated with the university” and that the Madison chapter will be suspended as they conduct a thorough investigation. They noted, “AEPi Headquarters has now issued a cease-and-desist directive to its Pi Chapter in Madison, Wisconsin, suspending all chapter programming pending a thorough investigation into alleged violations of the fraternity’s health and safety guidelines.”

In a related report, the New York Post uncovered that UW-Madison had previously placed the fraternity on probation back in 2013 after it was found to have excessively served alcohol to a 17-year-old boy and another guest, requiring detox treatment for both. The fraternity faced subsequent violations tied to alcohol consumption, hazing, and inappropriate behavior over the years.

Another chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi at Hofstra University in New York also faced suspension in 2019 following a Snapchat video that showed attendees at one of their events engaging in inappropriate conduct with a dog and a keg.

The Madison Police Department acknowledged that the recruitment process for sororities and fraternities is currently in progress and urged anyone who feels their safety might be in danger to come forward. They also encouraged anyone with information regarding this incident or those directly involved to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or reach out online. Tips can be submitted anonymously and may qualify for a monetary reward.