WashU Phi Delt Posts Picture With AR-15, Gets Fraternity Permanently Suspended

Doctor Franzia7 years ago

Phi Delta Theta at Washington University in St. Louis has been permanently suspended from campus after the university determined that one of its members had been storing an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a handgun at the fraternity house.

Phi Delta Theta was already on double secret probation from hosting unauthorized social events at their house and off campus. Phi Delt was originally suspended due to an alleged “hazing incident” that members of the chapter have been attempting to appeal since December 2017.

From Student Life:

Updated Feb. 21 at 10:05 a.m.: The national fraternity of Phi Delta Theta has suspended Washington University’s chapter.The national fraternity of Phi Delta Theta has suspended Washington University’s chapter.

Washington University Police Department officers searched and found an AR-15 semi-automatic weapon and handgun belonging to a member of Phi Delta Theta, who was suspended from the University Tuesday, Feb. 20. Phi Delta Theta will be permanently suspended from campus for violations of their temporary suspension.

According to a University statement, the AR-15 semi-automatic weapon was found in the Phi Delt house and the handgun was found in a car parked in a nearby University garage; both belonging to the same student. An anonymous source called University administration with a tip that a member of Phi Delta Theta was in possession of a firearm mid-morning Monday, Feb. 19.

“There was no active threat; however, this put at risk members of our university community and is a very serious violation of university policy,” Chancellor Mark Wrighton wrote in a school-wide email.

The night of Feb. 19, two anonymous sources were called into the WUPD station to provide information, which included a photo posted to social media of the firearm. In the photo obtained by Student Life, a subject is holding the AR-15 semi-automatic in a room with a Phi Delta Theta flag partially visible.

I don’t know what kind of a housing situation WashU has — whether it’s administration-managed or private or whatever — but clearly there is a student conduct policy that considers the ownership and storage of weapons in fraternity houses a violation.

I think this is probably against the 2nd Amendment, but here’s a shocker: universities can write and enforce whatever student conduct policies they want — even public and semi-public entities — which means a private institution like Washington University in St. Louis definitely can. Also unsurprisingly, they tend to give you these terms in some sort of a written student handbook at some point. Yes, I know going through those fucking things is like trying to do a dramatic reading of an iTunes user agreement, but knowing the boundaries can save you from a lot of hard knocks (especially when you are already on suspension). I recommend checking it out.

Here’s another thing to consider: it’s becoming apparent that the aftermath from the tragedy that occurred in Florida last week is playing out in a very different way than other such events. There is a real current of anger and social activism that I honestly have not seen come out of these mass shootings in this country before, and it might be a signal that something is different this time. In the last few days, we have seen a sitting Republican president actually move to ban bump stocks and implement other non-characteristic gun control measures including possibly strengthening background checks.

Regardless, bearing in mind the kind of climate we’re in right now and the fact that Phi Delt was already suspended, this is a TERRIBLE FUCKING TIME to post pictures of you with an AR-15 on social media with your damn fraternity flag in the background. Like two seconds of self-reflection or personal editing could have prevented “anonymous tips” from sinking the whole fraternity.

Guys, please start watching your asses and don’t do this kind of thing anymore..

[via Student Life]

Image via Shutterstock