Two members of a Syracuse University fraternity were arrested on charges of first degree hazing for forcing pledges to suffer through frostbite.
According to the Associated Press, Syracuse police arrested Tae Kim, 19, and Jeffrey Yam, 21, Wednesday and charged them both misdemeanor hazing. They are accused of forcing three pledges to perform certain exercises outside in the freezing cold weather.
As a result, one pledge experienced frostbite in his fingers so severe he may lose as many as two fingers on each hand. The other two pledges involved reportedly did not want to cooperate in the investigation.
"The University has zero tolerance for any form of hazing and takes this matter extremely seriously," Kevin Quinn, Syracuse University's senior vice president for public affairs, said in a statement. "When this incident was reported to us earlier this week we notified the Syracuse City Police Department, which undertook an investigation. The two individuals arrested today will be subject to the University's Student Code of Conduct. The fraternity involved, Nu Alpha Phi, was suspended this past Monday (March 2) when we first received details of the incident.
"The University is dedicated to promoting a safe and healthy campus environment that rejects all forms of hazing and fosters respect for the dignity and rights of all our campus community members."
The two men arrested belonged to the school's Nu Alphi Phi fraternity, which is made up of Asian students and has seven other chapters in New York, Syracuse.com reported.
The hazing incident took place early Sunday morning, the Daily Orange reported, around midnight, and the school caught wind the next day. Under the terms of the fraternity's suspension, the group cannot recruit or add new members and cannot hold any official events. Quinn did not put a timeline on the suspension.
The fraternity did not comment publicly on the matter.
