Hazing body-cam video shows shirtless, blindfolded pledges at Iowa fraternity

Body camera footage released following a viral online video shows the scene officers encountered during a 2024 hazing incident at a University of Iowa fraternity, drawing tens of millions of views and renewed campus attention. The footage captures officers and firefighters responding to a fire alarm and finding dozens of pledges shirtless, blindfolded and covered in substances in basement rooms.

Hazing footage and campus reaction

Campus reaction to the released footage has been immediate, with students discussing the images and what they mean for Greek life. The video has received tens of millions of views online and prompted conversations among students about prevention and oversight. Some students not involved in fraternities praised panhellenic safeguards in sororities as effective at preventing similar incidents.

What officers found on arrival

Body camera audio and video show emergency responders entering a fraternity basement after a fire alarm and encountering about 56 pledges in two dark rooms. Many of the men were shirtless, several were blindfolded, and some were covered in brown, white and red substances that observers described as ketchup and alcohol. Officers asked whether anyone needed medical attention or was being held against their will; the pledges answered in unison that no one was there against their will. At one point a person in the house shouted slurs at officers and repeatedly interrupted exchanges; that individual was arrested on an interference charge that was later dropped.

Disciplinary steps and administrative actions

The university suspended the fraternity chapter until summer 2029 following the incident. The chapter cannot be reinstated until July 2029 at the earliest. The national organization for the fraternity has stated a zero-tolerance position on hazing; the chapter's leaders removed the individuals identified as responsible from membership and the chapter received anti-hazing education programming. Over the past eight years, four other Greek organizations at the university were suspended for hazing- and alcohol-related offenses.

Immediate implications and near-term outlook

The released footage has increased scrutiny of fraternity practices and university enforcement of anti-hazing policies. With the chapter suspended through at least July 2029, the university has set a clear administrative timeline for any potential reinstatement. If the suspension remains in place to that date, the chapter will need to complete required education programming and meet any additional university conditions before returning to campus recognition. Uncertainties remain about any pending individual disciplinary or legal outcomes that have not been made public.

Key takeaways

• Body camera footage shows 56 shirtless, blindfolded pledges in a basement after a fire alarm in November 2024.
• The video has attracted tens of millions of views and sparked campus reaction.
• The fraternity chapter is suspended through summer 2029; reinstatement cannot occur before July 2029.