Ohio State suspends fraternity while investigating a video showing men engulfed in flames

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A fraternity at Ohio State University has been temporarily suspended while authorities investigate a video that appears to show two panicked men engulfed in flames.

What happened

For context, a video shared on social media demonstrates a substantial group of individuals standing outside, numerous wearing the school's red and white colors, laughing and shouting while a man sits on the ground with his sweatpants on fire. He then lunges at a second person and tackles him. The second man's clothing additionally catches fire, and they both roll on the ground removing their clothes as a number of onlookers intervene. One appears to be holding a small fire extinguisher.

University spokesperson Benjamin Johnson remarked the school has placed Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity on interim suspension while it investigates, and has referred the matter to university and Columbus police. The university did not say how the fraternity is linked to the event, whether the burned men are students or what condition they were in Monday.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around ohio State suspends fraternity while investigating a video showing men engulfed in point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.