Footage shows police discovering 56 blindfolded young men in frat house basement
Shocking police footage has captured the moment officers discovered 56 blindfolded young men in a frat house basement in the US.
Law enforcement arrived at the frat house, belonging to Alpha Delta Phi at the University of Iowa, on November 15, 2024 after responding to reports of a fire.
While they didn't discover any flames, police did discover the large group of shirtless young men covered in various unidentifiable substances, with officers noting the bad smell that was coming from the basement.
Footage shows the interaction that they had when police arrived, with one saying: "This is the police department. This stops here. Who is in charge?"
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He then told the blindfolded men: "How about we start cleaning this up? Everyone take their blindfolds off."
The officer then continued: "I’ve already given multiple commands to clear the room and get out of here, but no one's moving. Clearly, they’re taking this pretty serious."
It later became clear that this was an example of hazing, something more commonly known as initiations here in the UK, with those desperate to join the fraternity put through dangerous practices as a way of 'proving' their loyalty and willingness to join.
Joseph Gaya, 22, was later questioned by police as he nonchalantly drank and puffed on a vape while officers searched the house, insisting the substance the men were covered in was 'just water'.
When handing over his ID to police during the incident, he added the caveat: "I think it's fake."
The University of Iowa later confirmed he was not a student there at the time of the incident, despite him claiming he was to the cops.
Gaya was later charged in connection with the incident, with the newly-released police footage also capturing the foul-mouthed tirade he launched at officers as they attempted to search the premises, insisting that his record was clean before calling one cop a ‘f***ing f****t’.
He said: "You got nothing, you got nothing, you got f***ing nothing. There’s no fire here, there’s no nothing."
You can watch the footage below:
Hazing is prohibited by the university and under Iowa law, and Gaya was arrested and charged with interference with official acts the day after the incident, but had the charges dropped around a year later, before coming out with a more thought-out response.
He said: "This past year has been challenging, but I’m thankful the case was dismissed, and the truth was recognized.
"I deeply appreciate the time, effort, and dedication my attorneys, Dan Vondra and Brianna Potts, put into resolving this case.
"I’m looking forward to putting this behind me and focusing on the future."
However, the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity was suspended from the University of Iowa in May 2025, with the ban expected to be lifted in 2029.
The University of Iowa said in a statement: "The university took immediate action after UI Police, Iowa City Police, and Iowa City Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the fraternity house early Friday morning and found several dozen pledges blindfolded in the basement. One person has been arrested and charged with interference with official acts.
"The university is committed to protecting the health and safety of its students and will address any behavior that puts student safety at risk.
"OSA will follow the Student Organisation Discipline Procedure, which includes sanctions for prohibited behaviors including hazing, misconduct, and alcohol and illegal drugs. As registered student organizations, fraternities are expected to uphold the values of the university, and their members are expected to comply with the Code of Student Life."
James Moorhouse