Fraternity pledges at TCU tight-lipped about hazing incidents

At least one TCU student told campus police he was hazed by active members of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, but authorities have not been able to get anyone to identify any perpetrators, even though the level of hazing might have reached the level of criminal activity.

The hazing activity included forcing students to exercise or play with sex dolls and toys, burning the forearms of students with matches or lighters and locking blindfolded students in a closet for 90 minutes at the fraternity’s on-campus chapter house, according to records from the TCU Police Department.

The fraternity was suspended in December because of the hazing incident.

None of the 34 Delta Tau Delta victims questioned by police wanted to pursue criminal charges, police said, nor would they identify those who were involved in the hazing.

The interviews were conducted in early November using a questionnaire. In response to the question about the forced exercise, the answers varied from punishment to health reasons, according to the investigative report.

“There is evidence that the majority of the pledge class was present but a significant number lied about this allegation during the interviews,” the report said.

Students were also reported to have said that racist remarks were rampant in the chapter but the persons making those comments were not identified, according to the report.

“The pledges had been instructed on what to say to Campus Officials if questioned about the allegations,” the report stated.

The burns caused by the matches and lighters were the only type of activity that could be considered criminal, but none of the pledges could remember who was present when the burnings occurred or who ordered the activity, according to the report.

Pledges said they were told to be honest and cooperate but one pledge who was questioned “admitted they were also instructed not to be too forthcoming,” the report said.

This story was originally published January 5, 2018 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Fraternity pledges at TCU tight-lipped about hazing incidents."