Students

University of Florida Places ZBT Chapter on Interim Suspension Pending Full Investigation

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The University of Florida (UF) suspended their chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) fraternity, releasing a laundry list of charges stemming from an ugly Panama City Beach incident involving disabled military veterans.

According to the Associated Press, police responded to complaints of the fraternity members harassing a group of veterans at the Warrior Beach Retreat, but did not file any criminal charges. The event's organizer brought the complaint to UF in a letter after the fact.

In a statement released Friday, the school said they had opened an investigation into their ZBT chapter, placing it on interim suspension.

"The chapter is charged with causing physical or other harm, obscene behavior, public intoxication, theft and damage to property," read the statement. "An interim suspension means the organization is suspended from all activities. There will be a complete investigation by the university."

Also at the ZBT beach event were members from Emory University. Though those students were initially implicated, the school released a statement saying they had no evidence implicating their students were actually involved.

The ZBT fraternity members were accused of spitting at the veterans, ripping flags from their cars and more. The fraternity's national office also announced their own investigation and removed three UF chapter members.

"They were urinating off of balconies, vomiting off of balconies. They could see the men and women below were there with the retreat. They had on hats and shirts with logos," Linda Cope, the beach retreat's organizer, told the AP.

She said 60 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan were at the retreat.

"I am personally offended and disappointed by the behavior that has been described to me," Dave Kratzer, vice president for student affairs at UF, as well as a retired U.S. Army major general and combat veteran, said in the school's statement. "This is not representative of our students or of the university."

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