Fraternity chapter closes following alleged hazing incident that left Rutgers student seriously injured
A fraternity chapter at a New Jersey college has closed a week after an alleged hazing incident that left a 19-year-old student seriously injured, the national fraternity organization said Friday.
Officers found a Rutgers University student unresponsive just after midnight on Oct. 15 after responding to a disconnected 911 call, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, which is investigating the incident.
The student was at a fraternity house in New Brunswick and appeared to have come in contact with electricity, suffering a serious burn or shock, according to an official with knowledge of the probe. Authorities believe the student might have nearly been electrocuted.
Alpha Sigma Phi International Fraternity said it placed the Rutgers chapter on an interim suspension following the incident. The chapter is now closed, the organization said Friday.
"Based on our investigation, hazing occurred that evening, and as a result, the Fraternity has closed the chapter," Gordy Heminger, president and CEO of Alpha Sigma Phi International Fraternity, said in a statement. "All members directly or indirectly involved will be permanently expelled."
ABC News has reached out to the university for comment but has not yet received a response.
Online records for Rutgers Greek life show the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity closed as of the most recent update on Wednesday.
The injured student, whose name has not been released, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition after "sustaining serious injuries," the prosecutor's office said.
He remains hospitalized but is out of critical condition, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office said Friday.
There are no updates on the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office investigation at this time, the spokesperson said.
Heminger said the Alpha Sigma Phi International Fraternity will "fully cooperate" with the prosecutor's investigation.
"We hope that through the University conduct process and the criminal process, the maximum penalties will be imposed to send a strong message -- hazing is illegal and will not be condoned or tolerated," Heminger said.
In an earlier statement,Rutgers University said it is "cooperating fully" with law enforcement in the investigation.
"Rutgers-New Brunswick remains deeply concerned about the serious incident involving one of our students," the university said in a statement on Monday. "University leadership is in close contact with the student's family, offering support during this difficult time. We hope for his full recovery."
ABC News' Mark Crudele and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.
