One arrest has been made and at least two more are expected in connection with the death of a 20-year-old Southern University student after an off-campus fraternity hazing ritual.
“Caleb Wilson died as a direct result of a hazing incident where he was punched in the chest multiple times while pledging to Omega Psi Phi fraternity,” Baton Rouge Police Department Chief Thomas Morse Jr. said.
Fraternity member Caleb McCray, 23, was arrested and faces charges of manslaughter and felony criminal hazing in the death of Wilson, a mechanical engineering junior at the school who died in late February.
Wilson and eight others pledging the fraternity were punched by McCray and at least two other individuals wearing boxing gloves, according to a police arrest warrant affidavit.
After McCray punched Wilson four times in the chest, Wilson “collapsed to the floor, becoming unresponsive,” the affidavit states. “Wilson appeared to suffer a seizure and lose control of his bodily function.” No signs of trauma were found on Wilson’s body except for a “small bruise” on the right side of his chest.
The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office was awaiting the results of additional testing but didn’t know when those would be complete, Chief of Investigations Shane Tindall said.
McCray had no intention to “cause death or great bodily harm” to Wilson, the police affidavit states.
McCray’s attorney, Phillip Robinson, said his client deserved due process.
“I maintain my client’s innocence and urge the public to withhold rushing to judgment until all the evidence is heard,” Robinson said in an emailed statement.
McCray and his family declined to comment, Robinson added.
