[Updated (4/23/2015, 5:02 p.m.) with a statement from Emory University.]
[Updated (4/23/2015, 4:15 p.m.) with a statement from the national Zeta Beta Tau organization, and mention of the Emory University chapter, which was also at the formal.]
The University of Florida is investigating reports that members of a fraternity chapter spit on wounded veterans and stole American flags from them, The Gainesville Sun reports.
Members of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity chapter from the University of Florida and Emory University were holding their spring formal last weekend at the same resort, in Panama City Beach, where a group of wounded veterans was gathered for a retreat. Veterans have said students threw beer at them, spit at them, stole their American flags, and urinated on a flag.
“These guys were getting out of control,” said Linda Cope, founder of the Warrior Beach Retreat. “I was just in tears. This was supposed to be a safe place.”
In a letter to Ms. Cope, Florida’s president, W. Kent Fuchs, said that the behavior she described was “unacceptable” and that the college would investigate.
The chapter’s president, Tyler Drescher, told the newspaper the chapter had no comment. The fraternity’s national organization said in a statement on Thursday that “there is no doubt” members of the chapters “engaged in ugly and unacceptable behavior.” It also apologized to veterans, and said both chapters had suspended activities.
In an emailed statement on Thursday, Emory University said that it was “appalled” to learn of the acts of “disrespect and harassment” but that it had not yet found evidence that Emory students were involved.
