Twelve Students Charged in Hate Crime Assault

Twelve Salisbury University students have been arrested and charged with hate crime offenses following a brutal assault on a man, motivated by his sexual orientation. The attack occurred on October 15 at an off-campus apartment, where the victim was lured via a social media app under false pretenses and sustained injuries including a broken rib. Video evidence of the assault was reviewed by police, leading to the identification and charging of the students. Seven of the accused were members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, which has been suspended. The students face charges of first-degree assault, false imprisonment, and reckless endangerment. Salisbury University President Carolyn Lepre expressed her horror at the incident, emphasizing it contradicts the university's values of respect and community.