College freshman dies during fraternity ‘hazing’

A 19-year-old Baruch College student has died from ‘too many’ tackles during a fraternity ‘hazing’ at the weekend in Pennsylvania.

The student was a freshman at Baruch College. Picture: Complimentary

Chun Hsien Deng, known as Michael, was one of four pledges to his college chapter of Pi Delta Psi, and was taking part in a ‘hazing’ ritual in a yard outside a home in the Tunkhannock Township, according to authorities.

Deng suffered a head injury and was taken inside the house, say officials, but was driven to the Geisinger Wyoming Valley hospital in Wilkes-Barre after he didn’t recover ‘after some time’.

He was listed in a critical condition at the hospital and was unresponsive. He was placed on life support but died on Monday from what was described as ‘major brain trauma’.

Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine said the freshman had been ‘tackled too many times’, but refused to elaborate further.

Around 30 members of the fraternity were taking part in the weekend getaway, with 20 Pi Delta Psi members found at the home when investigators arrived.

They are currently trying to identify who was responsible for the fatal injuries, according to Christine.

Pi Delta Psi describes itself as an ‘Asian American cultural fraternity’, established in 1994 with a mission to ‘spread Asian American cultural awareness’.

It has over 20 chapters in 11 states and the District of Columbia.