Police Body Cam Footage of Fraternity Hazing Incident Goes Viral
Recently released police body camera footage from a hazing event at the University of Iowa’s fraternity house has gained significant attention online.
A brief clip from the Friday night event has garnered nearly 52 million views on X, while an extended hour-long recording on YouTube had over 250,000 views by the start of the weekend.
In the footage, numerous shirtless pledges from the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity are seen in a dimly lit basement as police and firefighters respond to a fire alarm. Some pledges are shown covered in ketchup and blindfolded.
As the police approach, one officer asks, “This is the police! We’re stopping here! Who’s in charge?” A voice responds, indicating that individuals are upstairs.
Another officer, shining a flashlight on the group, asks, “Does anyone want to discuss what’s happening here?” However, the pledges remain silent.
A comment from an officer captured on the body cam notes, “It looks like there’s quite a bit of haze.” A man wearing a white Iowa hoodie is seen drinking beer and using an e-cigarette, complicating matters for the responding officers.
Officers discovered 56 pledge forms in two dark rooms during their investigation. When questioned about the situation, one man—who seemed to be an observer rather than a participant—told the officers, “They’re just messing around.”
No one appeared willing to take responsibility for the chaos, but officers did confirm that it was believed that pledges were present voluntarily. KCRG reported that one individual was arrested for obstructing official business, but the charges were later dismissed.
The University of Iowa has since suspended the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity until summer 2029, joining three other fraternities that are currently under suspension.
In a podcast discussing the incident, participants viewed the footage differently, emphasizing that this was a pledge class that, in their opinion, was somewhat better than those in the past. Some participants even suggested that the fraternity leaders were more aligned with “actual law enforcement” than expected.
