A US college student is in a critical condition after an alcohol-fuelled frat initiation event reportedly went badly wrong.
Stone Foltz, 20, is a sophomore student at Bowling Green State University and was allegedly hazed during an initiation event at his new fraternity, according to school officials.
‘Hazing’ is a largely American phenomenon referring to when a new member of a university fraternity is forced to perform various initiation tasks, which can be dangerous.
Foltz is a new member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and was allegedly made to consume large quantities of alcohol during the event, school officials said.
(Image: ABC)
One anonymous attendee told media he overheard Foltz saying: “We have to drink a handle of any alcohol that our big gives us. We have to finish the whole thing in the time we’re there before we leave.”
A “handle” of alcohol equates to about 40 shots.
Foltz was rushed to hospital after the incident. He is in a critical condition and his family are now working through an organ donation process, with friends offered the chance to come and say goodbye.
“It’s just terrible,” Mason Ross told a local ABC affiliate.
“It just kind of feels like a dream, it’s unreal, I can’t believe it.”
(Image: ABC)
Foltz’ roommate Duncan Faulk said it was “hard to imagine my life without him”.
“He’s been there since I’ve grown up, and having him as a friend is one of the only things I’ve always know. It’s just going to be hard to know he’s not going to be there doing the things he enjoyed doing. I’m just really, really going to miss him.”
Bowling Green State University has said it is temporarily “suspending all new member intake processes and on- and off-campus social events” for Greek fraternity and sorority societies.
The university has temporarily suspended the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity as it investigates the incident further.
Pi Kappa Alpha, the fraternity, has advised its leader to cooperate with law enforcement.
(Image: ABC)
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In a statement, the organisation has said: “The Fraternity has a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal activity, substance abuse, bullying, and hazing of any kind”.
Sean Alto, the family’s attorney, said: “Stone Foltz is still with us at this time and he is surrounded by his family.
“Despite their unbearable grief, they are currently working through the organ donation process so that others may have a second chance at life.”
