Former CCU freshman was shot as part of hazing by suspended fraternity, lawsuit says
A former Coastal Carolina University student was severely injured as part of a hazing ritual by a since-suspended fraternity at the school, according to a recently filed lawsuit.
Cole Riebe was pledging Alpha Chi Rho during October 2022 as a freshman at the university when members of the fraternity shot him with a BB and pellet gun for answering questions incorrectly at a mandatory event, the complaint states. He was struck in the head and body multiple times.
The lawsuit names CCU, Alpha Chi Rho and two students that were members of the fraternity as defendants.
A CCU spokesman declined to comment on the pending litigation, while the fraternity did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Alpha Chi Rho was suspended from CCU last year through 2028 after an investigation found the social group had participated in hazing, a violation of the school’s code of student conduct.
The Sun News reported earlier this year on that investigation, which detailed the alleged shooting incident on Oct. 10, 2022, at an off-campus house. The investigative report, which redacted students’ names, stated that the first-year student who was shot withdrew from CCU for medical reasons shortly after the alleged hazing left him with a severe concussion and welts all over his body.
None of the fraternity members interviewed during the investigation admitted to shooting airguns at pledges. Some denied knowledge of anyone ever shooting an airgun at the residence.
Other hazing allegations mentioned within the report included making pledges eat butter rolled in dirt, drink bong water, and being placed in a dark room with just a candle and told to separate by color a two-pound bag of colored sprinkles brothers spilled onto the floor.
The report also detailed how that same fraternity had been briefly suspended shortly before the alleged shooting after pledges were found housing ducks on campus.
CCU’s investigation was initiated after Riebe’s attorney sent the university a letter outlining the allegations and seeking $225,000 to release the university from liability in relation to the incident.
This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 2:24 PM.
