Hazing has gone out of control at fraternities at Penn State. The university is currently facing two lawsuits based on the lack of response or initiative with numerous problems regarding harsh fraternity hazing and alcohol abuse.
This past February,19-year-old Beta Theta Pi pledge, Timothy Piazza, died, which then prompted Penn state to stop pledging in the Greek community.
On Friday, a grand jury report was released, stating the details of Piazza’s death. Among the 18 fraternity members that have been charged, eight are charged with ‘involuntary manslaughter.’ A 911 call has been released and you can hear the audio above.
Piazza had fallen down stairs at a pledge ceremony and throughout the night and early hours of the following morning, couldn’t properly stand and continued to fall and hit his head. Members of the fraternity did not pay any heed to Piazza’s injuries or distress until the next morning when a member called 911. Piazza passed away in the hospital the next day.
“It should not go without saying that hazing and dangerous drinking are not permitted by the university and the university tajes appropriate actions to education students about these issues and hold them accountable whenever it learns of such wrongdoing,” said Eric Barron, president of Penn State University, said in a press conference.
However, dangerous hazing has continued throughout the years even though reports were brought in.
James Vivenzio was a hazing victim at the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity at Penn State.
“Drinking until you were vomiting, they were shoving alcohol down your throat all the time,” Vivenzio said.
However, when he filed a report to the university, he never heard back for an entire year. But in 2015, Penn State took action when Vivenzio notified police of the fraternity’s facebook which had posted pictures of what looked like to be ‘unconscious naked women.’
Other incidents have occurred within the Greek community at Penn State, including one member who jumped to his death after voicing his concerns about his fraternity.
Tom Kline, the attorney for the Piazza family, said, “The Piazza’s are committed not only to punishment but to deterrence. They want to make sure that this never happens again at Penn State or at any American college campus.”
See the full story on CNN.com and ABCNews.com.