Caleb Wilson, a 20-year-old junior at Southern College, died on Feb. 27 following an off-campus hazing incident.
In keeping with the Baton Rouge Police Division, officers responded to the hospital round 3 a.m. that day. Nonetheless, new developments have been found on this tragic case.
WAFB 9 reported that fraternity members concocted a false story about the place Wilson’s loss of life occurred. Sources near the scenario alleged that pledges with Omega Psi Phi Fraternity had been truly at a warehouse in Baton Rouge when Wilson suffered a punch to the chest and collapsed. Wilson was pronounced useless by docs at an area hospital.
Hospital staffers who alerted authorities, which led to an investigation by the Baton Rouge Police Division.
There have been 9 pledges in a line throughout an unsanctioned fraternity ritual and every one was allegedly pressured to take blows to the chest, the sources stated. When Wilson was hit, sources with information of the occasions stated he reportedly collapsed to the bottom and commenced having a seizure on the warehouse.
Moreover, the warehouse the place Wilson collapsed is co-rented by EBR Councilman Cleve Dunn Jr. In keeping with Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto, Dunn Jr. informed him that he co-rents a warehouse for his courier enterprise together with one other enterprise accomplice, Todd Smith, who owns California Hardwood. Additionally, he was not conscious that Wilson had collapsed there till WAFB knowledgeable him.
Dunn acquired Smith on the telephone, who confirmed that detectives obtained surveillance video and questioned him. Each he and Dunn are members of Omega Psi Phi. Smith’s two sons are Omegas, and one is a scholar at Southern.
On Wednesday, District Legal professional Hillar Moore stated hazing fees would seemingly be filed after the investigation is full.
“We wish anybody with info to come back ahead,” Moore stated. “We had a number of pledges that had been there not implicated in any wrongdoing. We’d like them to come back ahead and inform us what occurred. Anybody with information about anybody being complicit in any respect with this case, we would like the reality for the mother and father.”
Following Wilson’s loss of life, members of the fraternity who introduced him to the hospital allegedly “met at an undisclosed location to coordinate a false account of the night time’s occasions.” Moreover, it’s alleged that not one of the college students had been on the park, which contradicts the testimony they made to legislation enforcement.
At present, Southern College is in full cooperation with the felony investigation. It is usually conducting an inner investigation into what led to Wilson’s loss of life following experiences of “unsanctioned off-campus actions” and can “take applicable motion” as soon as accomplished.
“Hazing is a violation of the College’s guidelines and laws in addition to Louisiana legislation, and it’ll not be tolerated in any type at Southern College,” the college stated in an announcement.
In response to Wilson’s loss of life, the college indefinitely banned membership consumption for all scholar organizations.
“The well-being of our college students is part of our mission to offer a unprecedented schooling for 1000’s of scholars,” the college stated. “We assist punishment to the fullest extent of the legislation for anybody committing an act of violence that impedes a scholar from safely and efficiently matriculating at Southern.”
Ricky Lewis, the Worldwide President of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, launched an announcement noting that they’re “actively working to assemble correct info” amid the native authorities’ investigation and that “we totally assist their efforts to hunt the reality.”
“At present, our foremost precedence is standing in unwavering assist of Caleb’s household,” Lewis stated. “We’ve got prolonged ourselves to them and are prepared to help in any approach doable throughout this tough time.”
“We acknowledge that a lot of you will have questions, and we’re actively working to assemble correct info,” Lewis continued. “Within the meantime, we ask in your endurance, your prayers, and solidarity as we honor Caleb’s reminiscence and assist these grieving his loss.”
The outcomes of Wilson’s loss of life will likely be launched following extra forensic testing, the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Workplace confirmed to ABC Information on Wednesday (March 5).
Together with majoring in mechanical engineering, Wilson was a member of Southern College’s famed Human Jukebox band.