Hazing, a long-standing practice in many organizations, is often seen as a rite of passage but has repeatedly led to tragic consequences—including the recent death of 20-year-old Caleb Wilson.
The Baton Rouge Police Department recently released disturbing details about the events leading to Wilson’s death.
During the hazing ritual, nine Omega Psi Phi pledges were taken to a warehouse at 3412 Woodcrest Drive and changed into gray sweat suits, investigators said.
They were lined up as three men took turns striking them in the chest with black boxing gloves, each receiving four blows.
The outrage from the public reaches far beyond Baton Rouge as more disturbing details come to surface.
Further resulting in the arrest of former Southern University student Caleb McCray, a member of Omega Psi Phi. Authorities have indicated that more arrests are expected as the investigation unfolds.
Wilson’s case is one of many fatal hazing incidents in recent years. In 2017, Andrew Coffey, a Florida State University student, died from alcohol poisoning during a Pi Kappa Phi fraternity event.
In 2011, Robert Champion, a Florida A&M University (FAMU) drum major, died from internal bleeding after a brutal initiation.
Huberta Jackson-Lowman, a psychologist and former FAMU professor, reflected on the tragic death of Champion.
“I think that everyone was very saddened and troubled by what happened, but I think there is also some recognition that people were not unaware that hazing was occurring on the university campus,” Jackson-Lowman said. “What was more troubling was that it actually led to the death of one of our students.”
Both instances underscore the persistent dangers of hazing, despite increased awareness and legal action against the practice.
FAMU strictly forbids students, student groups, and organizations from engaging in any form of hazing. The university enforces a zero-tolerance policy under its Anti-Hazing Regulation 2.028.
Under this policy, students who are found responsible for hazing may face removal from campus housing, suspension, or expulsion, depending on the severity of the offense. Southern University in which Wilson attended, has a similar policy in place.
In Louisiana, hazing can be prosecuted as a felony under the Max Gruver Act, which was enacted in 2018 following the alcohol-related hazing death of Louisiana State University student Max Gruver at the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house.
The law allows for penalties of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine if hazing results in serious injury or death. Organizations, their representatives, and educational institutions can also face consequences under the act.
Steven Brown, a member of Omega Psi Phi, pointed out that hazing is not exclusive to fraternities.
“A lot of people are now pinpointing Greeks, and it’s just not Greeks,” Brown said. “Believe it or not, it’s the marching bands, it’s everybody. And in the case of this situation down in Southern, they just happened to take it too far, and that’s what happened. It happens everywhere on all scales, and that’s just what it is.”