Three fraternity members at a public university in Arizona have been arrested on hazing charges following the death of a fellow student, police said.
Officers found an 18-year-old Northern Arizona University student, whose name has not been released, unresponsive at a home near the school’s campus Saturday morning, according to the Flagstaff Police Department. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Now, three students and executive board members of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity have been arrested and booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility on criminal hazing charges, police said.
After executing a search warrant at the home and interviewing witnesses, investigators discovered the 18-year-old had attended a “rush” event at the school’s Delta Tau Delta fraternity on Friday evening.
“Alcohol consumption was reported to have occurred by numerous individuals in attendance, including pledge candidates, which includes the deceased male,” police said.
The police department identified the fraternity members as 20-year-old Ryan Creech, vice president; 20-year-old Riley Cass, treasurer; and 20-year-old Carter Eslick, new member educator.
It’s unclear if the three students have retained attorneys. The Independent was unable to identify their attorneys for comment.
School officials called the student’s death a “devastating loss” in a statement released Saturday. They also acknowledged the charges against the fraternity members, and said the incident occurred at an “off-campus residence associated with the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.”
“We want to be clear: The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priorities. Violence, hazing or any other behavior that endangers others has no place at NAU,” the school’s statement reads.
The university has suspended Delta Tau Delta as the investigation continues.
Detectives will now coordinate with the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the student’s cause of death, the police department said.
More than 25,000 students attend Northern Arizona University, which has more than 20 locations across the state. Its main campus is located in Flagstaff, about 150 miles north of Phoenix.
