Dartmouth suspends fraternity after student’s death prompts hazing investigation

Dartmouth College has suspended a fraternity after the death of a student sparked an investigation into hazing, a college spokesperson told ABC News.

Won Jang, 20, was found dead Sunday on the banks of the Connecticut River on the school’s New Hampshire campus, police said.

Friends told the student newspaper The Dartmouth that he had been at a social event on the river the night before, hosted by his fraternity, Beta Alpha Omega, and the sorority, Alpha Phi.

Police had previously told New Hampshire ABC affiliate WMUR that they were currently investigating whether harassment played a role in the student’s death.

“There is evidence that alcohol was involved, at least from witnesses and conversations with such individuals. That is all part of our investigation,” Hanover Police Chief Charles Dennis said earlier this week. “We received an anonymous email from the college this morning that hazing may have been involved, so we will definitely be looking into that aspect as well.”

The cause of death has not yet been determined, but the police do not suspect foul play.

In a statement to ABC News on Thursday, a Dartmouth spokesman said the college had suspended Beta Alpha Omega and Alpha Phi while police continue to investigate.

“The entire Dartmouth community is mourning the tragic loss of Won Jang,” the spokesperson said. “Our counseling team has been assisting the family since Monday, and Dartmouth is providing all the support it can to Won’s parents, family and friends.”

In January, Beta Alpha Omega was disciplined for an unspecified incident, The Dartmouth reported.

According to the fraternity’s website, Jang studied biomedical engineering and was from Middletown, Delaware.

One of Jang’s friends, Kledian Marinaj, told WMUR he was an “amazing guy” who always had “a smile on his face.”

“I had just spoken to him to arrange to go out to dinner sometime,” Marinaj said. “Of course I was very excited when I got the news, so I met up with friends around here and we went for a walk and talked about all the great things about Won, about how he cracks jokes and makes people laugh.”