Rutgers University’s Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity chapter has been permanently closed after a 19-year-old member was critically injured in an alleged electrical hazing incident on October 15. According to NJ.com, the student was hospitalized in critical condition following the incident, which involved electrical shocks and contact with water. Authorities reported that the fraternity had a history of building code violations, including multiple electrical hazards identified in a July 2025 inspection.
The incident occurred in the basement of the fraternity’s off-campus house, with the national organization alleging that ‘underground and unreported new members’ were involved. A spokesperson for Alpha Sigma Phi, Gordy Heminger, stated that the fraternity made the decision to close the chapter following the investigation. Heminger also called on Rutgers University to expel any students involved in the incident, stating that New Jersey has very strong anti-hazing laws and that the prosecutor should seek the maximum penalties allowed for those involved.
Rutgers had previously placed the fraternity on organizational disciplinary probation after a cease and desist order was issued, but the chapter was ultimately shut down due to new evidence. The fraternity’s property, owned by its national arm, was declared an unsafe structure by officials. The incident has raised concerns about campus safety and the need for stricter measures against hazing, particularly after the 2021 death of Timothy Piazza, a New Jersey resident, who died after being forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol at Penn State University. The national organization, Rutgers University, and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.