Apr 24, 2015 10:02 AM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

A University of Florida (UF) fraternity is accused of disrespecting wounded war veterans on a retreat at Panama City Beach.

According to the Gainesville Sun, UF is investigating their chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) fraternity over allegations they spat on the veterans and stole their flags. The veterans were on the beach for the Warrior Beach Retreat at Laketown Wharf Resort.

"The incidents and behavior you and others have described (in letters and phone calls) and the offense to the wounded warriors and other guests are unacceptable," UF president Kent Fuchs wrote in a letter to the retreat's organizers. "We are pursuing an investigation of the matter to learn more about the involvement of University of Florida students and whether disciplinary action will be needed."

The school previously placed their ZBT chapter on probation during the fall semester for allegations of hazing. The ZBT national office said in a statement they are cooperating fully with UF's investigation, but also that they were told two of their chapters were implicated in the situation.

"On behalf of our entire organization, I want to apologize to veterans, both those who were in Panama City Beach, and those who have felt the pain from afar, as well as to their families and all who support the Warrior Beach Retreat and had worked to make it a positive and meaningful occasion for attendees. I am deeply saddened that the actions of our members ruined this special event and failed to show the respect our military and their families so deserve," read the statement. "As we continue our investigation, our chapters at the University of Florida and Emory University have suspended all activities and are fully cooperating in our investigation. In addition, we have already expelled three members of the University of Florida chapter from our organization who we found to have been behaving inappropriately, and we will take any further action necessary as we learn more."

Emory University is also investigating its ZBT chapter, the Sun reported. Linda Cope, founder of the Warrior Beach Retreat, said the fraternity members were holding a spring formal on the beach the same time as the retreat. She described students throwing beer bottles, tearing down flags, spitting on or toward veterans and even urinating on the American Flag.

"These guys were getting out of control," Cope told the Sun. "I was just in tears. This was supposed to be a safe place."

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