TCU students arrested for allegedly hazing fraternity pledges

FORT WORTH, Texas - Two students at Texas Christian University were arrested and are facing hazing charges.

By the time a TCU fraternity pledge made it to the hospital, court documents say his blood alcohol level was so high that he could have died.

The university isn't commenting on camera, but court documents spell out a hazing ritual that involved chugging hard alcohol and stale guacamole.

Court documents say one pledge was found unconscious in the Kappa Sigma house, and fraternity members believed he was dead.  He was treated for alcohol poisoning. Doctors report his blood alcohol content was at 0.4, which can be deadly.

The alleged incident happened on September 3. TCU police say two Kappa Sigma pledges were ordered to go to the chapter house with a handle of vodka.

Police say 19-year-old Christopher Barksdale, a member of Kappa Sigma, forced a pledge to chug a beer. He then emptied a bottle of sprinkles onto a desk, telling the two pledges to sort the sprinkles. If they didn’t do it fast enough or messed up, they would have to drink vodka.

Court records say both Barksdale and 19-year-old Andrew Walker, a member of a different fraternity, “made them drink for either a 1, 2, or 3 counts from the bottle of vodka. They had to drink the vodka as long as Barksdale and Walker were counting.”

The pledges were also forced to eat expired guacamole. One of the victims told police they “asked if they could go throw up, but were told that throwing up was for ****** and were not allowed to leave the room.”

Police say one of the pledges eventually blacked out from drinking and was found unconscious in the fraternity house by another member who thought he was dead.

The pledge was transported to the hospital and treated for alcohol poisoning. Doctors recorded his BAC at 0.4, which is five times the legal driving limit.

The other pledge had to be walked to his dorm room and was left by Walker, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

The fraternity has been suspended, and TCU is conducting an independent investigation with the students involved.

After multiple phone calls and messages, Barksdale couldn’t be reached for comment. Walker’s attorney says they’re confident a thorough police investigation will clear him.

The university says the fraternity hasn’t had any previous incidents on record.