A criminal investigation is underway at Texas A&M University after several fraternity pledges were left hospitalized — with some unable to walk and others experiencing “almost black” urine — after an agonizing alleged hazing incident that led to the chapter’s suspension.
The harrowing alleged hazing occurred Sept. 14 at the Kappa Sigma Lodge in College Station and is being investigated by the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, the department said Monday.
New Kappa Sigma pledges were taken to a secluded, off-campus location and “told to engage in physical activity until exhaustion,” BCSO added.
Pledges were forced to partake in a torturous workout in dark, dirty conditions, which caused some participants to pass out, KPRC 2 News reported.
“You have to put your hands on your heels and squat all as a group. And they’re yelling at you, making you squat together. And that’s where we did three, four or 500 of those,” a victim who did not want to be identified told KRPC.
“All in the mud, all real, real dark, people yelling at you, shining lights in your face, you’re getting dizzy, you’re throwing up.”
The same student told the outlet that he could barely move his legs after the nightmare drill — and that his urine was “almost black.”
Fellow pledges who sought medical care in the following days were told by fraternity leaders to go to different hospitals and lie about what happened to doctors, the victim added, according to KPRC 2.
While not confirmed, he said many of his fellow pledges were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a rare, life-threatening muscle injury. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include dark urine, sore muscles and exhaustion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The Kappa Sigma Fraternity is aware of an incident involving members of our Texas A&M University Chapter. Any member found to violate the Fraternity’s Code of Conduct, which strictly forbids hazing, will be held accountable. The operations of our Chapter at A&M are suspended pending an investigation,” Bradley Bailey, Kappa Sigma’s executive director, said in a statement to the outlet.
The school said that it “does not tolerate hazing and takes allegations of hazing seriously,” according to KHOU 11.
“The allegations are currently under investigation for possible violations of the Student Conduct Code. The university will fully cooperate with any law enforcement investigations related to these allegations. Given the active investigation, we cannot share additional details at this time,” it added.
Police are still investigating and asking victims or anyone involved to come forward.
This isn’t the first hazing incident for Kappa Sigma.
In 2018, two Kappa Sigma brothers at Texas Christian University were arrested after a pledge ended up hospitalized after excessive drinking that almost left him dead.
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