Hazing Or Unsafe House? Rutgers Fraternity Suspended, Probe Goes On Into Student's Injury

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Rutgers University and the national Alpha Sigma Phi organization have suspended a fraternity where a student was critically injured in an incident on Oct. 15, reports say.

Investigators are continuing to look into the incident that left the 19-year-old unresponsive early on Oct. 15 at the Alpha Sigma Psi house at 106 College Ave., authorities said.

The house has had dozens of code violations in the last five years. News 12 New Jersey reported the house has been condemned by New Brunswick officials.

City officials could not confirm on Monday that the house has been condemned, and referred the questions to the Rutgers University police department, which did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment citing the ongoing investigation.

New Brunswick building officials posted a notice dated Oct. 16 on the front door of the house declaring the building unsafe and barring people from occupying the house, NJ.com reported.

Condemnation of a property is a formal process that can lead to a building being demolished, and the process typically takes weeks if not months, as the owners of the property have a right to negotiate to bring the building up to code for safe habitation.

The house has been cited for numerous code violations in the last five years, including 50 violations in May during a regular inspection by the state Bureau of Housing Inspection, part of the state Department of Community Affairs. A reinspection of the house in September showed 19 of those violations still had not been repaired, according to state records.

The home is owned by Alpha Sigma Phi's Rutgers alumni group; state records list it as the Rutgers Alumni Association of Alpha Sigma Phi. The fraternity's group is not affiliated with the Rutgers University Alumni Association in any form, the university's alumni association said.

A message left Saturday for officials with the Alpha Sigma Phi alumni group seeking comment has not been answered.

The student, who has not been identified, was unresponsive when Rutgers University police responded to a 911 call at 12:26 a.m. Oct. 15 that had been disconnected, authorities said Friday. He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and was listed in critical condition as of Friday. Authorities did not have an update on his condition Monday.

The fraternity was placed on suspension by Rutgers University after the student was injured, NJ.com reported, with an organizational suspension until May 18 and social suspension until Nov. 3. Authorities were investigating whether the student was injured during a hazing incident, NJ.com reported.

The mother of another student who was at the house when the hospitalized student was injured told NJ.com the injury was not from hazing but due to dangerous conditions in the home. The injured student came in contact with exposed wires and was shocked, the mother said, and said her son also was shocked but not seriously injured.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the young man in the hospital and his family," Gordy Heminger, president and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi's national chapter, said in a written statement.

He said the national organization has placed the chapter on an interim suspension while the investigation continues.

"We are currently gathering information as to what happened that evening but to be very clear ... if it is determined by the Fraternity, the University or law enforcement that the undergraduate members hazed that evening, the chapter will be closed," Heminger said. "Any member who directly or indirectly participated in those activities will be permanently expelled and the Fraternity will encourage the University and law enforcement to pursue the maximum penalties allowed."

"Hazing has no part in the Alpha Sigma Phi experience. It is not condoned nor is it tolerated. Alpha Sigma Phi regularly educates all chapters and members on our Health and Safety Guidelines, including hazing and the chapter at Rutgers received this training last month," Heminger said.