A video showing a crowd laughing at two men on fire recently went viral. It has led to Ohio State University temporarily suspending one of its fraternities.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Ohio State University Placed the Fraternity on Suspension
As the New York Post reports, most of the crowd is wearing Ohio State University colors. They laugh as a man clad in a grey sweatsuit sits on the ground with his pants on fire.
As the man panics, he runs toward another man in a similar outfit. This causes the other man's clothing to also catch on fire. The two then fell to the ground and began taking off their flaming clothes.
Eventually, other men rushed to smother the fire, with another holding a fire extinguisher.
The video began circulating on social media. This led Ohio State University officials to temporarily place the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension. However, it is not known how the fraternity is linked to the incident. It is also unclear whether those in the video are members of the organization.
"The university is aware of this extremely concerning incident, and the individuals in question are receiving medical care," said a university spokesperson in a statement. "Ohio State is committed to a safe and healthy environment and expects students and student organizations to uphold that commitment and the university's values."
Was This Part of a Hazing Ritual?
Police said the incident appeared to take place on Saturday, Nov. 7. However, the authorties did not receive any calls regarding the incident other than a report that the video was circulating online.
It is not yet known the extent of the two men's injuries after the incident. It is unknown if they were involved in a hazing ritual.
Steve Mitchell, the CEO of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said it will hold those accountable after an investigation.
"We take this matter seriously and are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident while working closely with university officials and local law enforcement," Mitchell said in a statement.
The news comes after New York state prosecutors reopened their investigation of an alleged rape of a woman at Cornell University in 2024.
