Ohio State suspends Sigma Alpha Epsilon over a video of 2 men on fire, but the university hasn’t said how the fraternity is linked to it
Cornell University banned all fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year after a former student’s lawsuit alleged that seven Chi Phi members drugged and gang-raped her in 2024. Ohio State University has now placed the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension after a video that appears to show two men on fire surfaced online, according to The Associated Press.
The video shows a group of people, many wearing the school colors of red and white, appearing to laugh and shout as a man sits on the ground with his sweatpants on fire. He then lunges at another man and tackles him, and the second man’s clothing also catches fire. Both men fall to the ground while trying to pull off their burning clothes.
Onlookers eventually help put out the flames, one seemingly with a small fire extinguisher. Many details remain unclear as the university has not said how Sigma Alpha Epsilon is linked to the event or whether the men are students. It is also unknown whether hazing played a role in the alleged crime behind two Wisconsin fraternity leaders’ arrests this fall.
Ohio State says the men in the video are getting medical care
University spokesperson Benjamin Johnson confirmed that the school is looking into the situation and has referred it to university and Columbus police. “The university is aware of this extremely concerning incident, and the individuals in question are receiving medical care,” Johnson said in a statement. He added that Ohio State expects students and student organizations to uphold its commitment to a safe and healthy environment.
Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert said the event appears to have happened on Saturday and that no one called police from the location. However, someone contacted police Sunday evening to report that the video was circulating online, he said. Columbus Fire’s arson bureau is also investigating, Battalion Chief Brian Barnhart told WOSU.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon CEO Steve Mitchell said behavior that violates the organization’s standards has no place in it, and that the group would take steps to hold those responsible accountable based on what the investigation finds. “We take this matter seriously and are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident while working closely with university officials and local law enforcement,” Mitchell said in a statement.
The interim suspension bars Sigma Alpha Epsilon from activities as a registered student organization and halts all new-member events while Ohio State and Columbus police continue to investigate.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon has been in trouble at Ohio State before
Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Ohio State’s oldest fraternity, was removed from campus in 2001 for repeated violations and returned in 2003, according to The Lantern. However, the university found the chapter responsible in 2019 for failing to comply with earlier sanctions and breaking alcohol rules, according to ABC6. That record could draw added scrutiny as the case moves forward.
Earlier this year, Ohio State revoked the registered status of Pi Kappa Phi’s Alpha Nu chapter for 10 years after a March hazing incident left a student hospitalized, WOSU reported. If investigators determine hazing was involved, the outcome could become public, as Ohio’s Collin’s Law requires colleges to post hazing violations online.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission tells anyone whose clothes catch fire to stop, drop, and roll. From there, the agency advises covering the face and rolling until the flames are out, guidance it attributes to the CDC and the National Fire Protection Association. It also warns that all clothing burns and that loose garments can catch fire easily.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
Follow The Mary Sue:
