The five additional SU students arrested earlier today. Courtesy of a Salisbury Police Dept. press release.
Five more SU students were arrested Thursday on charges of false imprisonment, reckless endangerment, first-degree assault and other correlating hate crime charges in connection to the seven students arrested on Tuesday, according to the Salisbury Police Department.
One of the twelve students allegedly posed as a 16-year-old on Grindr to lure a gay man to an off-campus apartment complex where the group then punched him, kicked him, spit on him and called him slurs, according to CBS.
Police have now identified Cameron Guy, 18, Jacob Howard, 19, Eric Sinclair, 21, Patrick Gutierrez, 19, and Dylan Pietuszka, 20, as five more alleged perpetrators. Police say multiple suspects are involved with a fraternity.
SU President Carolyn Ringer Lepre released a statement indicating that the majority of the fraternity members were a part of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. She announced that SAE has been placed on suspension in accordance with SU's Code of Student Organization Standards.
"We, Salisbury University, need to acknowledge the harm that hate and violence has brought to our community," Lepre wrote. "While these crimes were not perpetrated against another student, the thought of this happening to anyone - regardless of the circumstances - is dismaying."
"As we try to heal, we need to acknowledge the harm that hate and violence have brought to our campus, and we must listen to the voices of the LGBTQ+ community."
According to President Lepre, the students arrested have also been placed on suspension. She said these are the harshest penalties possible at this stage .
In response to the arrests, Lepre said The Lambda Society, the faculty LGBTQ+ association, has organized a Community Vigil and Unity Walk in The Square on Monday at 3:00 p.m.
Support and resources are offered to anyone who is disturbed or upset with the developing news from the Office of Inclusion, Access and Belonging (ODI@salisbury.edu).
Police say the investigation is ongoing and anyone with information should call them at 410-548-3165.
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By ANNA BELONG
Managing Editor
Featured images courtesy of Bloomberg and Salisbury Police Department