Madison police arrested two fraternity officers after finding roughly 30 partially clothed pledges crammed into a sweltering basement, covered in food and other liquids, with some showing marks consistent with being struck.
Officers responded to an anonymous hazing tip at the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) house on Langdon Street around 8:20 p.m. Wednesday. Inside, they found a basement thermostat set to 81 degrees, creating hot and humid conditions. The Madison Police Department said the vast majority of the young men inside were 18 years old.
Police declared the gathering unlawful, moved everyone outside, and checked pledges for injuries and signs of incapacitation.
Madison Police Capt. Kipp Hartman said Thursday he saw fresh redness and marks that could be consistent with someone being struck, though he did not observe open wounds. He said he was not aware of anyone being taken for medical treatment.
Fraternity president Brayden J. Klein, 20, and vice president Samuel N. Vane, 20, were arrested on allegations of hazing and disorderly conduct and booked into the Dane County Jail. Hartman said both are misdemeanor charges and the Dane County District Attorney’s Office will decide whether to prosecute.
Investigators are still piecing together what happened inside the house. Hartman said officers ran into conflicting accounts while interviewing people at the scene.
