SC - Tucker Hipps, 19, Clemson student's death: Was it hazing? Sept 2014

The coroner says Tucker Hipps died from an head injury that is consistent with an unsupported fall. The report says the injury is also consistent with him falling from one of the spans which is about 20 - 23 feet above the water surface.

The Oconee Co. Sheriff's Department says Clemson University Police discovered the body of Tucker W. Hipps, 19, of Piedmont below the Highway 93 bridge at YMCA Beach in Lake Hartwell in 4 - 5 feet of water around 3:30 p.m.

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Sigma Phi Epsilon says they are investigating allegations of hazing made on social media in the death of Clemson Student Tucker Hipps...

The university says Hipps was participating in an early-morning group activity run with fraternity members. He didn't return from the run and wasn't at breakfast, so they began looking for him. Members of the fraternity contacted the Clemson University Police Department to report him missing at 1:45 p.m. Monday.

The fraternity has asked the chapter to suspend all scheduled programming to focus on supporting those close to Tucker Hipps. Clemson University's John Gouch says the university has prosecuted 23 cases of hazing in the past 5 years.

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“There has been speculation and innuendo, especially on social media, regarding whether hazing played a part in the death of Tucker Hipps,” Oconee County Sheriff Mike Creshaw said. “So far, there has been no indication in the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office investigation that hazing played a part in the death of Tucker Hipps”...

The sheriff asked that anyone who might have been driving in the Seneca River Bridge area between 5:30 and 6 a.m. to call the sheriff’s office if they saw anything unusual at that time.

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OkieGranny said:

http://www.heraldonline.com/2014/09/23/6350882_body-of-clemson-student-pulled.html?rh=1

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They came by the hundreds to Bowman Field on Tuesday night to light the historic heart of the Clemson campus with their cell phones, each point of light a reflection of the life of Tucker W. Hipps, their classmate whose body was found in Lake Hartwell a day earlier. Tillman Hall tolled 19 bells — one for each year of life for the Wren High School graduate. Then, silence...

The vigil wasn’t an official university-sponsored event, but President James Clements presided over it with the dignity of a pastor, asking the students to pray for Hipps’ parents in the loss of their only child...

Fraternity members told investigators they were running Monday morning when Hipps started “having some issues” and fell behind as they crossed a bridge where his body was found later in the water, Oconee County sheriff’s spokesman Jimmy Watt said.

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A month into the fall semester, Clemson University has pulled the plug on two dozen fraternities. The university opted to halt all social and new member activities on the South Carolina campus after the death of a student and a “high number” of reported incidents involving fraternities.

Student Affairs Vice President Gail DiSabatino cited complaints “ranging from alcohol-related medical emergencies to sexual misconduct” as contributing to the decision. “These behaviors are unacceptable and mandate swift and effective action to protect students,” DiSabatino said in a press release. “There is no higher priority than the safety and welfare of our students.”

“It is especially prudent to suspend fraternity activities given the tragic death of Tucker Hipps,” she said.

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OkieGranny said:

http://whnt.com/2014/09/23/clemson-shuts-down-two-dozen-fraternities-in-one-month/

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Several people who were driving to work in Clemson on Monday morning have told investigators that they saw runners crossing Lake Hartwell on the State 93 bridge in the dark without any reflective gear, but saw nothing suspicious that could shed light on how Tucker Hipps ended up in the water with a fatal head injury, Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw said Wednesday.

Investigators have taken statements from all 30 members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity who were running with Hipps, a political science major and Wren High School graduate, and about 20 friends and other people who knew him...

Still, the biggest question remains: How could Hipps have fallen over a four-foot high concrete wall between the sidewalk on the bridge and the lake?

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An Oconee County dive team searched for clues Friday morning as part of the investigation into the death of Tucker Hipps, a Clemson University student found dead in Lake Hartwell last month, authorities said.

Oconee County Sheriff's Office spokesman Jimmy Watt declined to say what divers were looking for or how long they searched.

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Cindy and Gary Hipps said they didn’t just lose their only son, they lost years of making new memories. “We were looking forward to him and Katie getting married and having grandchildren. We even talked about that -- we talked about one day me being a grandmother...

“There is more to the story then what has been told. We do believe there are things that need to be fixed that are broken with fraternity pledging processes. No parent should send their child off to college and have to fear for their life,” said Gary Hipps.

"I think there are elements of the truth that are not yet known and those are answers we're looking for,” said Cindy.

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east2west said:

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/sto...hipps-investigation-nearly-complete/19735705/

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

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The family has heard little from the authorities about the investigation in recent weeks, she said. They've heard nothing from the fraternity and haven't heard from Clemson University in about a month.

She said they have gotten no information from the autopsy of their son's body, which was found on the Oconee County side of Lake Hartwell between the twin bridges on State 93...

"There's a certain amount of information, but there's that missing time as to when Tucker actually went off that bridge," Cindy Hipps said. "They don't know how or why he went off the bridge."

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Each lawsuit filed in the death of 19-year-old Tucker Hipps seeks $25 million plus punitive damages. In addition to Clemson, the lawsuits name the national Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and three fraternity members.

In a statement e-mailed by their attorney, Hipps’ parents call their son’s death “a senseless and avoidable tragedy. The culture of hazing and inappropriate conduct by social fraternities must be stopped.”

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luckyseven said:

Parents sue Clemson, fraternity over son's death

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Watts says Terrenni, who was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, lived on campus. The national leadership of the fraternity put USC's Pi Kappa Alpha chapter on administrative suspension following the death, and says the group is cooperating with the investigation

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rob said:

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article16952102.html#/tabPane=tabs-b0710947-1-1

Lots of new info in the story that I have not heard before. And look at who's kids some of the players are.
This family is not letting this go, and I'm proud of them for it. You don't go deleteing cell phone messages and stuff unless you have something to hide.

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