National

Dartmouth fraternity member’s death prompts hazing investigation

Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on July 9, 2024

(HANOVER, N.H.) — The death of a Dartmouth College student and fraternity member has prompted a hazing investigation, police said.

Won Jang, 20, was reported missing Sunday afternoon, having been last seen the prior night by the docks of the Connecticut River on the school’s New Hampshire campus.

Search and rescue teams found his body offshore Sunday evening.

His cause of death has not yet been determined, but police said they do not suspect foul play.

Hanover Police Chief Charles Dennis said in an interview with New Hampshire ABC affiliate WMUR they are investigating whether hazing played a role in the student’s death.

“There is some evidence of alcohol involved, certainly from witnesses and talking with things like that. Again, that’s all part of our investigation,” Dennis said. “We did receive an anonymous email this morning through the college that there may be some hazing involved, so we certainly will look into that aspect, too.”

Friends of Jang said he had attended a social gathering by the river that night thrown by his fraternity and a sorority, and that alcohol had been present, according to student newspaper The Dartmouth.

Jang, a biomedical engineering major from Middletown, Delaware, was a member of Beta Alpha Omega, according to the fraternity’s website.

In January, Beta Alpha Omega was subject to disciplinary action for an undisclosed incident, The Dartmouth reported.

Spokespeople for the college and the fraternity did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

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 been talking to him to make plans to grab a meal sometime,” Marinaj said. “Of course, I was very upset when I first got the news, so I met up with friends around here, and we went on a walk, talking about all the great things about Won, about how he makes jokes and makes people laugh.”