Nearly 50 members of a New Hampshire fraternity were accused of hazing after an initiation event last month, authorities said Friday.
The fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, was also accused of hazing, a misdemeanor, the Durham Police Department said in a statement.
Authorities in Durham began investigating the April 13 incident after officials from the University of New Hampshire contacted the department about an event for new members at the fraternity’s chapter house, the statement said.
It isn’t clear what prompted the allegations. A university spokeswoman said the school was notified of the incident by the fraternity’s national headquarters and immediately reached out to authorities.
The school has cooperated with the police inquiry, and the fraternity was suspended, she said.
“We take any allegation of hazing very seriously, and now that the police investigation is complete, we will be initiating a formal conduct process,” she said, referring to the system used to potentially sanction anyone who has violated the school’s student code.
The fraternity did not respond to a request for comment.
The police department said it immediately investigated the allegations and determined there was probable cause to arrest those involved in the alleged crime. Arrest warrants were issued for 46 fraternity members and the local chapter, the department said.
The Strafford County Attorney’s Office said that several students had turned themselves in, according to NBC Boston. Others had already left the area after the end of classes, the station reported.
For the fraternity members, the crime is punishable with fines of up to $1,200, the department said. The organization is facing a $20,000 fine.