Hunter
11/19/24
The person arrested in connection with an alleged hazing incident at a University of Iowa fraternity Friday has been identified.
UI Police, Iowa City Police, and the Iowa City Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the fraternity house on North Dubuque Street just before 12:45 Friday morning and found 56 pledges blindfolded in the basement with food thrown on them.
According to court records, 21-year-old Joseph Gaya of Riverside was arrested and charged with interference with official acts. Gaya allegedly stood in front of officers who were speaking to two witnesses in the doorway of the room full of pledges and refused to move for officers. Gaya reportedly told the witnesses not to talk to the police. An officer again told Gaya to step back, and he allegedly said, “You can (effin’) leave, how about that?”
Police say frat members told Gaya to leave. He is not a member of the frat, and is not enrolled at the University of Iowa.
The national Alpha Delta Phi fraternity confirmed to the Press-Citizen that they suspended the university’s charter on Friday. The fraternity launched a third-party investigation and said the national organization and the University of Iowa chapter are “fully cooperating” with authorities.