An Ohio State University fraternity is under investigation after video surfaced online of two young men apparently on fire over the weekend.
The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity has been placed on “provisional suspension” pending a full investigation, according to a statement released Sunday by OSU. The administration described it as an “extremely concerning incident” and said it had taken the matter to law enforcement.
“Ohio State is committed to a safe and healthy environment and expects students and student organizations to uphold this commitment and the values of the university,” the statement said.
The video posted online begins with someone in a tracksuit on the ground with their pants engulfed in flames. This individual gets up and attacks another person wearing a matching sweatsuit, which sets the second person’s clothes on fire.
The two men then run around and try to shed their clothes while others come in to help them put out the flames, according to the video.
A second video shot from a different angle appears to show that the second individual’s pant leg was already on fire when he was tackled. We also see a passerby who appears to have difficulty using a fire extinguisher while others try to put out the flames.
The incident appears to have happened Saturday on a block near the university, according to a statement from the Columbus Police Department. There were no initial calls about the matter Saturday, but the department was alerted Sunday to the video circulating online.
“We will work with The Ohio State University, as well as the Columbus Division of Fire Department’s Arson Unit, to determine if any criminal acts occurred,” police said.
The Ohio State Buckeyes hosted the Oregon Ducks on Saturday as two of the best NCAA Division I football teams faced off. Many spectators in the videos appeared to be wearing Ohio State football jerseys.
The fraternity’s national headquarters is also aware of the video, Steve Mitchell, CEO of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said in a statement to NBC News on Monday. Mitchell said the fraternity is actively investigating the circumstances and working closely with the appropriate authorities.
“Sigma Alpha Epsilon holds its collegiate members to high standards of conduct and accountability,” Mitchell said. “Behavior that violates these standards has no place in our organization. We are committed to holding those responsible accountable and will take appropriate action based on the findings of the investigation.”
Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded on March 9, 1856 at the University of Alabama. A number of notable figures have been members, such as former President William McKinley, author William Faulkner, actor Sam Elliot, and NFL coach Pete Carroll.
It has also had a history of disturbing incidents over the past 20 years, which have resulted in a number of deaths, according to a 2013 Bloomberg report that called it “the deadliest fraternity.”
The Bloomberg report says there were nine deaths related to alcohol, drugs and hazing between 2006 and 2013, more than any other Greek organization. He adds that more than 100 universities have sanctioned Sigma Alpha Epsilon and 15 chapters have been closed.
National headquarters responded in 2014 by eliminating the engagement system, saying at the time that deaths and other incidents had resulted in “consequences that have never been consistent with the experience of our members.”
He replaced engagement with what he dubbed the “True Gentleman Experience,” referring to one of the organization’s guiding principles. The fraternity boasts that a true gentleman is defined in part by a man “whose conduct proceeds from good will and a keen sense of propriety.”
There was an incident at a “talent show” hosted by the University of New Hampshire’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter in 2022 that resulted in 46 members being charged with hazing. While dozens of people chose to engage in diversion programs, three people were acquitted at trial, according to New Hampshire’s labor leader.
The newspaper reported that the judge ruled that because the incident was not related to pledging or maintaining membership, it did not meet the requirements for a hazing charge under the law.
Gn usa
