Authorities in Iowa discovered 56 pledges blindfolded in the basement of a fraternity house, according to reports.
Iowa City Police quickly responded to an incident at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity located on the campus of the University of Iowa. The fraternity had reported a fire alarm going off, prompting the immediate action of law enforcement.
According to officers, 21-year-old Joseph Gaya from Riverdale repeatedly refused to move from the basement doorway despite multiple requests.
Later, the police informed that Gaya was positioned in a separate room with two witnesses in front of her while an officer attempted to engage them in a conversation regarding the incident.
The officer repeatedly requested Gaya to move aside, but according to the police, he instructed the witnesses not to communicate with the officers.
Gaya, at one point, expressed his frustration by using profanity and demanding that the officers vacate the premises. However, witnesses reassured Gaya that they were unharmed and encouraged him to leave instead.
Gaya was arrested by police officers on a charge of interfering with official acts. It should be noted that he does not reside at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house, and the University of Iowa has confirmed that he is not a student.
Alpha Delta Phi has been placed on interim suspension by the UI’s Office of Student Accountability, effective from Friday. This action has been taken as part of the ongoing investigation into the incident.
According to OSA, they made the decision to take action based on the seriousness of the accusations. The charter has been suspended by the national chapter until further notice.