A had been repeatedly punched in the chest while pledging, police said Friday as they announced the arrest of a 23-year-old man.
Caleb McCray turned himself in to police Thursday night, a week after Southern University and A&M College student died. McCray faces charges of manslaughter and criminal hazing. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Several suspects are involved in Wilson’s death, Baton Rouge Police Chief TJ Morse said at a news conference. Investigators have two people they are seeking warrants for, he said.
Police were first made aware of Wilson’s death on Feb. 26 around 2:40 a.m., Morse said. It was initially reported that Wilson died on Feb. 27.
Authorities were initially told that a group of males had dropped Wilson off at the emergency room and stated that he had collapsed while playing basketball at a park, Morse said. The group left the hospital before police arrived.
Morse said detectives learned that the incident occurred at a warehouse and that 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.”
The police chief would not say how many people were at the event and said, “at no time did anyone call 911 or attempt to call 911 or try to summon an ambulance to the warehouse to give him medical aid.”
The university that an internal investigation had been launched following reports that the event was unsanctioned. Dennis Shields, president of the Southern University System, said Friday that the investigation is ongoing.
“Words cannot express how deeply saddened we are by the loss of our student Caleb Wilson,” he said. “Our collective thoughts and prayers continue to be with Caleb’s family, friends, classmates, and all who knew and loved him.”
The fraternity was ordered to cease all activities, and every campus Greek organization was informed that no additional membership intake could take place for the remainder of the academic year.
Omega Psi Phi said in a last week that Wilson’s death was “deeply felt.”
Wilson, from New Orleans, was a “dedicated” member of the university’s “Human Jukebox” marching band. He was studying mechanical engineering.
