A man has been charged in connection with the death of a Louisiana college student who collapsed after being repeatedly punched in the chest during a hazing ritual, police said.
Officials said Caleb McCray, 23, a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, allegedly punched Caleb Wilson multiple times during the off-campus initiation ceremony. He was charged with criminal hazing and manslaughter.
Mr Wilson was a 20-year-old college band member and mechanical engineering student at Southern University and A&M, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The suspect’s lawyer said in a statement his client deserved due process and asked the public “to withhold rushing to judgment until all the evidence is heard”.
Hazing, which is illegal in most US states, is a tradition where people pledge their loyalty by doing something painful, humiliating or dangerous.
Speaking at a news conference, Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse Jr stated that Mr Wilson’s death on 27 February was a “direct result” of the hazing incident.
According to police, a group of individuals dropped Mr Wilson off at a hospital and allegedly lied to the staff, saying he had collapsed while playing basketball. They left before authorities arrived.
But detectives later determined that information to be inaccurate.
A police arrest report reviewed by US media outlets states that Mr Wilson and eight others pledging the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity were struck by Mr McCray and at least two others wearing boxing gloves.
Mr McCray allegedly hit Mr Wilson four times in the chest, after which he collapsed, suffered a seizure, and lost control of his bodily functions, the arrest warrant affidavit said.
No-one present attempted to call for emergency assistance, police said. Mr Wilson was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
An autopsy found no significant trauma to his body, aside from a small bruise on the right side of his chest, according to the affidavit.
It also noted that investigators found no indication that Mr McCray intended to “cause death or great bodily harm to any of the pledges”.
Mr McCray, a member of Omega Psi Phi and reportedly a Louisiana Army National Guard member, is said to have graduated from Southern University in December 2024, according to ABC News.
East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore said two additional people, who have not been publicly identified, will be charged with misdemeanour hazing.
The investigation is ongoing and remains active.
Southern University System President Dennis Shields expressed deep sorrow over Mr Wilson’s death.
“Words cannot express how deeply saddened we are by the loss of our student, Caleb Wilson,” he said.
Mr Shields said the campus chapter of Omega Psi Phi has been ordered to suspend all activities. Students involved in the incident could face expulsion.
Additionally, all Greek organisations at the university – a historically black college – have been barred from accepting new members for the remainder of the academic year.
Mr Wilson’s passing has sparked widespread grief.
The Human Jukebox Marching Band, which recently performed at the Super Bowl, honoured him in a Facebook post.
“A talented trumpet player, a dedicated student, and a bright soul, Caleb was a mechanical engineering major who poured his passion into both his studies and his time with the Human Jukebox. His energy, spirit, and impact on those around him will never be forgotten.”
Hundreds of people gathered for a vigil outside Southern University’s Smith-Brown Student Union.
One friend, speaking of Mr Wilson, told local media outlet WAFB: “His light does not die with himself. It dies with all of us. We have to make sure his light lives within all of us and make sure you stand up tall like he’s on your shoulders reaching for the sky.”
The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity released a statement offering condolences and supporting law enforcement’s efforts “to seek the truth”.
Under Louisiana state law, if a person dies or is seriously injured during a hazing ritual, it can be prosecuted as a criminal offence under the Max Gruver Act.
Max Gruver was a Louisiana State University student who died of alcohol poisoning after hazing in 2018.
Those prosecuted can face up to a $10,000 (£7,745) fine and five years in prison. Organisations and educational institutions can also face penalties under the act.
