Cops investigating if Dartmouth student Won Jang was a victim of hazing after being found in river
A 20-year-old Dartmouth College student was found dead in the Connecticut River over the weekend — with police investigating if he’d been hazed.
Delaware native Won Jang, a member of Beta Alpha Omega at the Ivy League college, was last seen during a social event Saturday night near the Dartmouth boathouse along the Connecticut River.
Jang was reported missing the following day and after authorities searched for several hours, his body was found Sunday evening about 65 feet offshore, the Hanover Police Department said in a release.
“There is some evidence of alcohol involved, certainly from witnesses and talking with things like that,” Police Chief Charles Dennis told WMUR.
“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.
Dartmouth College told the station that the fraternity Jang belonged to was disciplined for an unspecified incident that took place last fall.
In January, Beta Alpha Omega was one of four frats at the school to be suspended over violations of community standards, The Dartmouth reported.
Jang, a biomedical engineering major, had been taking part in Sophomore Summer, a time for rising juniors to stay on campus and participate in an immersive and more relaxed summer course, according to the Ivy League’s website.
His fraternity brothers, who did not want to appear on camera, told WMUR they gathered Sunday night to remember their friend.
The 20-year-old member of the Class of 2026 served as a project manager at the DALI lab, a research assistant at the Thayer School of Engineering, and was a mentor for international students, according to the student newspaper.
Friends of Jang have been getting together on campus to remember his bright spirit, telling WMUR he was someone who was always happy and making jokes.
“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,” his 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.”
A spokesperson for the school said grief counseling will be provided for impacted students.
“Won wholeheartedly embraced opportunities at Dartmouth to pursue his academic and personal passions,” dean of the college Scott Brown wrote in an email to campus. “He enthusiastically took part in the Dartmouth community.”
The police investigation into Jang’s death remains ongoing.
A toxicology report could take up to six months, authorities said.
