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U.S.|Police in Louisiana Investigate Hazing Episode After University Student’s Death
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/05/us/southern-university-caleb-wilson-hazing-death.html
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Caleb Wilson, a junior at Southern University, died on Feb. 27. Unsanctioned fraternity activities may have caused his death, the university said.
March 5, 2025, 10:22 p.m. ET
The police in Baton Rouge, La., are investigating whether a hazing episode at a fraternity may have played a role in the recent death of a 20-year-old Southern University student, university officials said Wednesday.
The student, Caleb Wilson, of New Orleans, died at 12:27 a.m. on Feb. 27, the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office said. A university investigation into his death started after rumors of “unsanctioned off-campus activities” began to swell, the university, whose full name is Southern University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, announced on social media. The activities are believed to have been organized by the Beta Sigma chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the university said.
“We have been informed that the local authorities have launched an investigation into this tragic incident,” the fraternity said in a statement on its website on Feb. 28. “We have extended ourselves to them and are ready to assist in any way possible during this difficult time.”
The coroner’s office said that “the cause and manner” of Mr. Wilson’s death were still under investigation. The Baton Rouge Police Department, which is investigating Mr. Wilson’s death, did not immediately respond on Wednesday to an email or phone call seeking additional information.
“An off-campus incident is believed to have contributed to Caleb’s death,” John K. Pierre, the chancellor for the school, said on Feb. 27 in a Facebook message. “Southern University is cooperating fully with the Baton Rouge Police Department.”
It is unclear whether Mr. Wilson was a fraternity member.
Mr. Wilson was a junior at Southern University, a historically Black institution, majoring in mechanical engineering. He was also a member of the “Human Jukebox” Marching Band, the school’s prestigious collegiate musical group that incorporates dance and music and has performed at Super Bowls and presidential inaugurations.
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