Police found 30 partially clothed teens covered in 'food, condiments, and other liquids' in a grungy, sweltering basement.
By ANANYA SWAROOP, US NEWS REPORTER
Published: 22:12 BST, 25 September 2026 | Updated: 22:12 BST, 25 September 2026
Two young men, identified by police as leaders of a banned University of Wisconsin fraternity, were arrested for an alleged horrific hazing incident.
Fraternity president Brayden J Klein and vice president Samuel N Vane, both 20, were taken into custody by the Madison Police on Wednesday.
The officers arrived at the location at 8.20pm after they received an ‘anonymous tip' about the events that were taking place at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, located along the 100 block of Langdon Street, Madison, about 80 miles west of Milwaukee.
They allegedly found 30 half-clothed teens covered in ‘food, condiments, and other liquids’ in a grungy, sweltering basement.
‘A thermostat in the room was set to 81 degrees creating hot and humid conditions,’ the department report said.
The majority of the victims were recognized as 18-year-olds, the police added.
Klein and Vane were arrested and taken to Dane County Jail for disorderly conduct over the alleged hazing.
No other charges have been announced in relation to the incident, CBS News reported. The Madison Police Department said that the investigation remains ‘ongoing and active.’
Police found 30 half-clothed teens covered in ‘food, condiments, and other liquids’ in a grungy, sweltering basement
The officers arrived at the location at 8.20pm after they received an ‘anonymous tip' about the events that were taking place at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity
The young teens who were found in the house were escorted out and checked for incapacitation and injuries.
‘Several of these men had visible injuries consistent with being physically assaulted,’ the police report said.
Police Capt Kipp Hartman said in a press conference that most of the pledgers are students of the University of Wisconsin, Badger Herald reported.
‘I've been in this district now for 2 years as the captain,’ Hartman added. ‘This is my first time seeing this, and I'm unaware of any time prior to this that this has occurred.’
He added that, based on first observations, the police noticed that the victims had fresh red marks on their bodies, possibly from being hit.
Hartman also addressed the rumors that were circulating online about the involvement of an undercover police officer and feces being found on the scene.
He denied the rumors and said: ‘We are tracking [the] social media. We have already observed there’s a lot of misinformation out there.’
The university is in Madison, about 80 miles west of Milwaukee.
Alpha Epsilon Pi was an unaccredited student organization that was terminated by the University of Wisconsin in 2015
An Alpha Epsilon Pi Headquarters spokesperson told CBS News that they take such allegations ‘extremely seriously.’ The organization will completely cooperate with the investigation and would remove the members found responsible for criminal conduct.
‘Hazing is a betrayal of everything our fraternity stands for. There is no place for it in AEPi,’ the spokesperson said.
‘Anyone who engages in hazing forfeits the privilege of being an AEPi brother.’
Alpha Epsilon Pi was an unaccredited student organization that was terminated by the University of Wisconsin in 2015.
The university issued a statement and said that the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards will investigate any students involved in the incident.
The statement further read: ‘Since this chapter [Alpha Epsilon Pi] continues to be recognized by its national organization, it is legally allowed to operate as a fraternity chapter unaffiliated with the university.’
The university’s health services department is helping students who need support.
Madison Area Crime Stoppers and the police department are urging anyone with information about the incident or anyone actively involved to contact the officials.
‘If pledges came forward, if others came forward and actually shared and were cooperative, it would help,’ Hartman said.