Authorities investigate possible hazing crime after Dartmouth student found dead in Connecticut River

The police are investigating after a 20-year-old college student was found dead in the Connecticut River over the weekend. The student attended Dartmouth College, and the authorities are looking into whether his untimely death could have been related to hazing, according to the New York Post.

Won Jang grew up in Delaware and was a Beta Alpha Omega fraternity member at the prestigious college. He was last seen at a social gathering Saturday night around the Dartmouth boathouse beside the Connecticut River. The young man was reported missing the following day.

'Won was always an amazing guy. I don’t think there was ever a time when I didn’t see him with a smile on his face.'

After the authorities were notified, they searched for Jang for several hours, according to the report. His body was eventually found on Sunday about 65 feet from the river's shore, according to the Hanover Police Department's release on Facebook. Initial findings indicate that there was alcohol involved in the incident, according to witnesses.

“Again, that’s all part of our investigation. We did receive an anonymous email this morning through the college that there may be some hazing involved, so we certainly will look into that aspect, too,” Dennis added, according to WMUR.

The fraternity that Jang belonged to was disciplined for an undisclosed incident that took place last fall. The Dartmouth reported earlier this year that Beta Alpha Omega was one of four fraternities that had been suspended for violating community standards, several of which included alcohol.

The report noted that Jang — a biomedical engineering major — had been participating in Sophomore Summer, which is a time for upcoming juniors to stay on campus and take part in a more relaxed summer course.

Jang also served as a project manager at the DALI lab, a research assistant, and was a mentor for international students on campus.

“Won was always an amazing guy. I don’t think there was ever a time when I didn’t see him with a smile on his face,” Jang's friend Kledian Marinaj said.

“I had just been talking to him to make plans to grab a meal sometime. Of course, I was very upset when I first got the news, so I met up with friends around here, and we went on a walk talking about all the great things about Won, about how he makes jokes and makes people laugh.”

Following the development, a spokesperson for the school said counseling would be made available for those who needed it.

“Won wholeheartedly embraced opportunities at Dartmouth to pursue his academic and personal passions,” Scott Brown, dean of the college, wrote in an email to all those on campus. “He enthusiastically took part in the Dartmouth community.”

The investigation into Jang's death is ongoing.

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