Baton Rouge police are preparing warrants to arrest two additional suspects in connection with the hazing-related death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson, officials announced Friday.
Police Chief Thomas Morse Jr. said the two suspects are expected to turn themselves in today, adding that more arrests could follow as the investigation remains “active and ongoing.” The case is being handled by Baton Rouge police, the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office, and Southern University officials.
The update comes after 23-year-old Caleb McCray surrendered to police late Thursday. McCray, a former Southern University student, has been charged with manslaughter and hazing in connection to Wilson’s death, which occurred during an Omega Psi Phi fraternity pledging ritual at a Baton Rouge warehouse on Feb. 27.
McCray’s attorney, Phillip Robinson, maintains his client’s innocence, urging the public not to rush to judgment. “I maintain my client’s innocence and urge the public to withhold rushing to judgment until all the evidence is heard,” Robinson said in a statement.
Chief Morse confirmed that Wilson’s death was the direct result of being punched while pledging Omega Psi Phi. Investigators have interviewed more than a dozen people, uncovering details of the unsanctioned fraternity ritual that led to Wilson’s collapse.
According to sources close to the investigation, Wilson and eight other pledges were lined up in order of height as part of a fraternity ritual where each pledge was punched in the chest four times, symbolizing Omega Psi Phi’s “four cardinal principles”: manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift.
Wilson, a 20-year-old engineering student and former trumpet player in Southern’s Human Jukebox band, collapsed after being struck. Instead of calling 911 immediately, fraternity members waited before taking him to the hospital, sources said. When questioned, the individuals initially told police Wilson collapsed while playing basketball at a park—a claim investigators later determined to be false.
Wilson was ultimately taken to Baton Rouge General Hospital, where police were contacted around 2:40 a.m. on Feb. 27.
Southern University President Dennis Shields announced that Omega Psi Phi has been ordered to “cease all activities” at the university, and all campus club and Greek life recruiting has been suspended through the academic year. He also warned that disciplinary actions, including expulsions, could follow as the university conducts an internal investigation.
The warehouse where the hazing took place was being leased by Todd Smith, owner of California Hardwood Floors, who is a member of the graduate chapter of Omega Psi Phi. Smith confirmed to WAFB that his son is currently a member of the fraternity.
Wilson’s death falls under Louisiana’s Max Gruver Act, a 2018 anti-hazing law named after an LSU fraternity pledge who died from excessive drinking during a hazing ritual. Under the law, hazing that results in death or serious injury carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. A manslaughter conviction could lead to up to 40 years in prison.
East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sid Edwards joined law enforcement officials at Friday’s press conference, urging young people to “make better decisions” and saying, “We’ve got to do better, Baton Rouge.”
Southern University Board of Supervisors Chairman Tony Clayton, who also serves as the 18th Judicial District Attorney, called for Omega Psi Phi to be permanently removed from campus. “They’ve forfeited their right to be on our college’s campus. So my vote is to expel them, and I mean indefinitely,” Clayton said.
Wilson’s family has thanked the community for its support and has vowed to seek justice. His father, Corey Wilson, is a 35-year veteran of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and his mother is a student at Southern University’s New Orleans campus.
“We are committed to seeking the truth about the circumstances surrounding Caleb’s passing and ensuring that no other family has to endure such a tragedy,” the Wilson family said in a statement.
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