Arkansas Tech student injured in alleged hazing

RUSSELLVILLE, AR - Tuesday night, an Arkansas Tech student remains hospitalized as Arkansas State Police and the University investigate whether his injuries are the result of a possible hazing incident.

Arkansas Tech is already taking action regardless of the outcome by suspending Kappa Alpha Psi during the investigation. Arkansas Tech has eleven Greek organizations.

Arkansas State Police told FOX16 that it does not know yet if a hazing incident put the ATU junior in the hospital.

"Any type of report that we get about hazing, we respond to, and we respond to it very quickly and take it very seriously because it's not something we would ever tolerate," says Arkansas Tech Dean of Students Amy Pennington.

Prosecutor David Gibbons confirms the injured student is Deshawn Scoggins and that those who put him in the hospital might face felony battery charges. UAMS told FOX16 Tuesday that Deshawn Scoggins is in critical condition.

The University says Kappa Alpha Psi only has three members, and it hasn't had any problems with the fraternity since it came to campus two years ago.

Arkansas Tech does not know whether the incident happened on campus or even in Russellville for that matter. Those are all pieces of information investigators are gathering right now.

"First and foremost, we're concerned about our student," says Pennington.

When the University found out Saturday that a junior went to UAMS Thursday, it immediately got Arkansas State Police involved. All Arkansas Tech students in Greek Life sign a pledge to "not tolerate, participate or encourage hazing in any form."

"It can be a variety of things. You know, it can be asking someone to miss class, but then it can also be something much more serious," says Pennington about hazing.

"They've got to do stuff they don't want to like wake up pretty early or do stuff in the middle of the night when they're already asleep so they've said some things, but afterwards I guess it's worth it for them," says freshman Guillermo Chinchilla.

While Chinchilla hasn't heard of any friends getting physically abused while pledging greek groups, he has heard of hazing incidents.

"They need to stand up for themselves. Remember who you are. Don't let other people kick you around just because you want to do something," he says.

The Arkansas State Police spokesperson told FOX16 Tuesday that he isn't sure whether this is a hazing incident because the victim and other people possibly involved are giving conflicting stories to investigators.

On top of what a judge could hand down as a punishment if this is a hazing incident, the judicial process at the school sets forth punishments ranging from warnings to expulsion.