Around 2 AM on Sunday morning, a 23-year-old Ohio State student named Chase Meola was shot and killed in the alley next to the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house located off-campus. The alleged shooter was arrested a few blocks down the street. The shooting reportedly occurred during an 'altercation' outside the fraternity house.
Columbus police say that "individuals were asked to leave a house party in the area," which may have led to the altercation. Police are now investigating how Mitchell ended up at the party, as he is not an Ohio State student. Ohio State released a statement sending their condolences to Chase Meola's family.
Meola was a fifth-year marketing major with aspirations to work on Wall Street.
Phi Kappa Psi Involved in Another Death?
The Ohio State chapter of Phi Kappa Psi had its student organization status revoked in June 2018, according to Ohio State campus paper The Lantern. The fraternity will be on disciplinary suspension until August 2022 due to violations involving "hazing and endangering behavior." Readers of our blog may remember Phi Kappa Psi's name from our current investigation into the death of Antonio Tsialas at Cornell University just one year ago.
This past October, the Cornell chapter of Phi Kappa Psi also had its student organization status revoked in response the hazing of Antonio Tsialas and others. Antonio was found dead following his attendance at the hazing event. The party was a violation of an earlier disciplinary measure taken against Phi Kappa Psi for other misbehavior.
Every time there is yet another senseless death or serious injury at a fraternity party somewhere in the United States, one has to ask: where were the chapter officers and chapter advisors in all of this? How could this happen on their watch? If they had been doing their jobs properly, things like this would not happen. We have seen this too many times before, and with each family we have represented in similar cases, their response is always the same: “We want this to be the last time it ever happens. Please help us accomplish that.” We keep advocating for these families, and while progress has been made, there is still more to be done. We will never give up trying to change the culture that produces these terrible and senseless deaths. Our hearts go out to the Meola family.
STFBC will be following this story as it develops. If your loved one was harmed due to dangerous fraternity behavior, speak with us in a free consultation. Call (305) 770-6335 today.