What began with an anonymous report on a September evening in Madison quickly turned into a police investigation inside an off-campus fraternity property near the University of Wisconsin-Madison. When officers arrived, they found a basement filled with students and conditions that raised immediate concerns about possible hazing and physical harm.
The scene at the Alpha Epsilon Pi property on Langdon Street was troubling enough for police to end the gathering and move the students outside for assessment. But as investigators began collecting statements, another complication emerged: accounts from people who were there did not always match.
Anonymous hazing report brings Madison police to AEPi property
Madison police were dispatched to the Alpha Epsilon Pi property at approximately 8:20 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23, after receiving an anonymous tip about a possible hazing event.
Inside the basement, officers encountered approximately 30 partially clothed male students. Police said most of those present were 18 years old.
The Madison Police Department described what officers found in its account of the incident:
“Inside the basement of the residence, officers found around 30 other partially clothed males covered in food, condiments, and other liquids.”
The conditions prompted officers to assess the students for injuries and determine whether anyone needed additional assistance.
Police said several people had visible injuries that appeared consistent with physical assault. Officers also discovered that the basement thermostat had been set to 81 degrees Fahrenheit, creating hot and humid conditions inside the room.
The combination of the reported injuries, the condition of the students and the circumstances inside the basement became central to the investigation.
Importantly, police have not publicly established that every person found inside was a victim. They also have not provided a complete account of everything that happened before officers arrived.
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What happened inside the basement remains under investigation
The police response brought the reported event to an immediate end. Officers brought the students outside so they could assess their condition and check for injuries or signs that anyone required further assistance.
From there, investigators began working to reconstruct what happened inside the residence.
That process has not been straightforward.
Police said the circumstances surrounding the reported injuries and the activities taking place in the basement remain part of the investigation. Investigators are still working to determine how the events unfolded and what roles the people present may have played.
| Official detail | Information |
| Date | Wednesday, September 23, 2026 |
| Police response | Approximately 8:20 p.m. |
| Location | Alpha Epsilon Pi property on Langdon Street, Madison, Wisconsin |
| Report | Anonymous tip about possible hazing |
| Students found | Around 30 |
| Description | Partially clothed male students |
| Age noted by police | Most were 18 |
| Basement temperature | 81°F |
| Reported condition | Food, condiments and other liquids on students |
| Injuries | Several visible injuries appeared consistent with physical assault |
| Investigation status | Ongoing |
Two 20-year-old AEPi leaders arrested in hazing investigation
The investigation soon resulted in two arrests.
Madison police arrested two 20-year-old men identified in reporting as the president and vice president of the Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter.
Both were booked into the Dane County Jail on allegations involving hazing and disorderly conduct.
Those arrests mark an important development in the case, but they do not establish guilt.
The available information does not establish a conviction or final disposition of the allegations against either man. Police are continuing to investigate the events at the residence and the roles played by those who were there.
That distinction is particularly important because the investigation remains active, and police have not said that everyone found in the basement participated in hazing.
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Police say participant accounts contained inconsistencies
As investigators spoke with people who had been at the fraternity, they encountered another issue: the accounts did not always line up.
Madison Police Captain Kipp Hartman told WMTV that everyone involved provided statements, but investigators found inconsistencies between those accounts.
Hartman said:
“Some statements also did not align with what everybody else’s statements were, so there were some concerns with what was being said,”
Hartman also characterized the level of cooperation with investigators as limited.
Those inconsistencies mean police still have to establish a clearer timeline of the evening and determine how the reported conduct unfolded before officers arrived.
For investigators, the question is not simply what officers discovered at 8:20 p.m. It is also what happened before police entered the basement, how the students came to be there, and how the reported injuries occurred.
The available information does not provide a complete answer to those questions.
UW-Madison says AEPi chapter has not been recognized since 2015
There is another major piece of context surrounding the case: the fraternity chapter involved is not recognized by UW-Madison.
The university said its recognition of the organization was terminated in 2015. That means the chapter is considered an unrecognized student organization and does not operate as a university-recognized fraternity.
At the same time, UW-Madison said the chapter continues to be recognized by Alpha Epsilon Pi’s national organization, allowing it to operate as a fraternity chapter independently of the university.
The September 23 incident occurred off campus, and UW-Madison emphasized that the organization involved is not in good standing with the university.
The university stated:
“UW–Madison is fully committed to preventing and addressing hazing and takes all incidents involving our community seriously.”
Despite the chapter’s lack of university recognition, UW-Madison has opened its own student-conduct process for students who may have been connected to the incident.
UW-Madison opens student-conduct investigation
The university’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards is investigating students who may have been involved under its nonacademic misconduct process.
Students found to have violated university policy, law or regulations can face sanctions under Wisconsin’s university disciplinary rules.
Possible sanctions identified by UW-Madison include:
- A written reprimand
- Disciplinary probation
- Suspension
- Termination
- Educational sanctions
The university’s involvement therefore exists alongside the police investigation rather than replacing it.
UW-Madison also said information about unrecognized organizations and organizations that are not in good standing is provided to students, parents and families at the beginning of each academic year.
The university’s response involves both its student-conduct system and coordination with the national Alpha Epsilon Pi organization.
AEPi national organization responds to the Madison incident
The national fraternity has also become involved.
On September 24, representatives from UW-Madison’s Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards and Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life met with national Alpha Epsilon Pi officials to review the incident and discuss possible follow-up measures.
UW-Madison said the national organization is cooperating with its efforts.
Alpha Epsilon Pi spokesperson Jonathan Pierce also issued a strong statement about the allegations.
Pierce said:
“Any member found responsible for criminal conduct in this matter will be expelled from AEPi, and we will support prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”
He also addressed the fraternity’s position on hazing:
“Hazing is a betrayal of everything our fraternity stands for. There is no place for it in AEPi. No exceptions. No excuses.”
Pierce added that the organization teaches members their responsibility to look after one another and said:
“Anyone who engages in hazing forfeits the privilege of being an AEPi brother.”
Those statements represent the national fraternity’s stated position while the specific allegations involving the Madison chapter remain under investigation.
Why AEPi’s unrecognized status matters
The distinction between university recognition and national fraternity recognition is significant.
UW-Madison’s 2015 decision to terminate recognition did not prevent the organization from operating independently. Instead, the chapter does not have the status or university relationship held by recognized student organizations.
At the same time, university officials can still investigate students who belong to an unrecognized organization when their conduct falls within the university’s disciplinary jurisdiction.
That is why the September 23 incident can involve both a police investigation and a UW-Madison student-conduct process despite the chapter’s unrecognized status.
The university has also said that it provides information about unrecognized organizations and organizations not in good standing to students, parents and families at the beginning of each academic year.
Police urge students to speak up about hazing concerns
The incident happened as fraternities and sororities in the Madison community were going through their recruitment process.
Captain Hartman said police will remain in contact with the national Alpha Epsilon Pi organization as the investigation continues.
Madison police have also urged people involved in fraternity and sorority recruitment to speak up if they believe their safety is being threatened.
UW-Madison similarly encouraged students and community members to report suspected hazing instead of remaining silent. The university said students can use its anonymous reporting options, while emergencies should be reported to 911.
The university’s Office of Student Assistance and Support and University Health Services are also providing support to students as needed.
What happens next in the UW-Madison hazing case?
For now, the investigation remains open on several fronts.
Madison police must establish what activities took place before officers arrived, determine the circumstances surrounding the reported injuries and assess the differing accounts provided by people at the residence.
UW-Madison’s student-conduct officials are separately examining whether students connected to the university violated university rules.
The national Alpha Epsilon Pi organization is conducting its own review and has said that members found responsible for criminal conduct could be expelled from the fraternity.
The arrests of the two 20-year-old AEPi leaders are allegations under investigation, not final findings of guilt. Likewise, the available public statements do not establish that every student found in the basement participated in hazing.
The unanswered questions surrounding the Langdon Street residence now sit at the center of the case. Investigators are working to establish a complete account of what happened before police arrived, while university and fraternity officials examine the conduct and consequences that may follow.
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Conclusion
The September 23 incident at the off-campus Alpha Epsilon Pi property has led to two arrests, a police investigation, a UW-Madison student-conduct process and a review by the fraternity’s national organization.
Police found around 30 students in the basement, several with visible injuries that appeared consistent with physical assault, while the room was reportedly set to 81°F and the students were covered in food, condiments and other liquids. Investigators then encountered conflicting accounts about what had happened.
With the chapter unrecognized by UW-Madison since 2015 but still affiliated with Alpha Epsilon Pi nationally, the case now involves multiple layers of investigation. For the moment, the facts remain under review, and the allegations against the two arrested men have not resulted in established findings of guilt.
Source and research disclaimer
This article has been prepared based on thorough research of the information and sources provided for this report, including the Madison Police Department, UW-Madison, the official Alpha Epsilon Pi organization, and The Daily Cardinal. It reflects the information available from those provided sources and does not imply independent verification beyond the material supplied. Arrests and allegations do not establish guilt, and the ongoing police investigation and related disciplinary proceedings may result in additional information or changes to the reported case.
Sources
- Madison Police Department: MPD investigating hazing incident at fraternity
- UW-Madison: Information related to Sept. 23 Langdon Street incident
- Alpha Epsilon Pi official website
- The Daily Cardinal: AEPi fraternity president, vice president arrested for hazing
Featured Image Credit: Ali Bensoula on Pexels
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