Rutgers University this week ordered a fraternity to cease operations after a student was critically injured in an incident that is being investigated to determine whether hazing was involved.
The student, 19, was found injured and unresponsive when university police officers went to a location in New Brunswick, New Jersey, near Rutgers’ flagship campus, after a disconnected 911 call shortly before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement Friday.
He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where the prosecutor’s office said he was in critical condition. The student has not been publicly identified.
The chapter was ordered by the university to cease all activity and is being subjected to “social probation” until Nov. 3, as well as “organizational disciplinary probation” through May 18, according to a university notice posted Wednesday.
In a statement to NBC New York, Gordy Heminger, president and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi, said the fraternity has suspended its Rutgers chapter and is investigating whether hazing occurred.
“If it is determined by the Fraternity, the University or law enforcement that the undergraduate members hazed that evening, the chapter will be closed, 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,” Heminger said.
He said the fraternity regularly educates chapters and members about its policies on hazing, for which it has no tolerance, and added that Rutgers’ chapter received training on the matter last month.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the young man in the hospital and his family,” Heminger said.
NBC News was unable to reach a representative for the Rutgers fraternity chapter.
A Rutgers spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday. University police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to requests for possible updates on the investigation.
The prosecutor’s office asked anyone with information that could aid the investigation to reach out to detectives.
