A 20-year-old Black college student has died following what his family said was a fraternity hazing incident in California late last week. Police are investigating the death and are considering hazing as a possible factor.
Tyler Hilliard, 20, who would have become a junior with an engineering major at the University of California Riverside, lost his life after pledging Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the young man’s family said. The African-American fraternity has a firm anti-hazing policy, defining hazing as “illegal and a crime in most jurisdictions,” according to its website. “Pledging has been officially abolished as a means of obtaining membership in Alpha Phi Alpha, and pledge ‘lines’ have been officially abolished by the fraternity,” the APA statement also said.