3 Students Arrested After Teen Dies at Off-Campus Fraternity Hazing Event

A freshman college student has died after attending an off-campus fraternity event in Arizona, prompting a hazing investigation and multiple arrests.

According to the Flagstaff Police Department, officers responded around 8:44 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, to reports of an 18-year-old male student from Northern Arizona University found unresponsive at a residence on South Pine Grove Road in Flagstaff.

Police said bystanders inside the home began CPR before officers arrived. When first responders reached the scene, the student was not breathing. Officers and paramedics continued life-saving efforts, but the teenager was pronounced dead at the residence.

Detectives later determined the student had attended a gathering at the home the night before, which police identified as a rush event connected to the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.

Authorities say alcohol was consumed by several pledge members at the event, including the student who later died.

Following the investigation, three Delta Tau Delta fraternity members were arrested and charged with hazing. Police identified the suspects as 20-year-old NAU students Carter Eslick, Ryan Creech, and Riley Cass.

Hazing, under Arizona law, includes forcing or pressuring someone to consume food or liquids — including alcohol or other substances — in a way that poses a serious risk to their health.

Detectives said the investigation is ongoing and that they are continuing to review evidence and work closely with the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the official cause and manner of death.

Northern Arizona University called the student’s death a “devastating loss” in a statement released after the arrests.

“We are aware that the Flagstaff Police Department has announced criminal charges against three NAU students in connection with an incident that occurred at an off-campus residence associated with the Delta Tau Delta fraternity,” the university said. “We appreciate the diligence of the FPD as they work to establish the facts and pursue accountability.”

The school emphasized that student safety remains its top priority and stated that hazing and other dangerous behavior have no place on campus or in the university community.

Hazing is illegal in most of the United States, including Arizona. In 2022, the state passed Jack’s Law, which allows for prison sentences of up to 3.75 years when hazing results in a person’s death.

Flagstaff police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 928-774-1414 or call Silent Witness at 928-774-6111 as the investigation continues.