Three individuals, including a member of the US Secret Service, have been arrested for their involvement in a violent fraternity hazing ceremony that resulted in severe injuries to two young men. Marquez Christopher Pinder, 29, who is employed at the Secret Service’s Miami branch, was apprehended along with two others in connection to hazing incidents associated with a Miami chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.
According to prosecutors, the victims endured repeated beatings using canes and paddles over a span of four nights in April, leading to their eventual hospitalization. Pinder, who has been part of the Secret Service since 2023, faces charges of hazing with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery causing serious bodily harm, and attempted manslaughter.
Court records identify him as the “dean of pledges” for the fraternity’s chapter. Authorities allege that the assaults occurred at an apartment and an off-campus residence after the prospective members failed to answer fraternity-related questions correctly.
The beatings reportedly ceased on the fourth night upon the discovery of blood on one victim’s clothing. The victims were then instructed by fraternity leaders to discard their clothes in trash bags and return home. One victim suffered from intense pain, vomiting, and fevers before being hospitalized, undergoing skin grafts and treatment for kidney damage to prevent renal failure and possible death.
The second victim initially denied being subjected to paddling, but medical records revealed severe injuries that required hospitalization. He had to be intubated during his hospital stay to prevent further health deterioration.
Michael Townsend, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Miami office, assured that any misconduct will be dealt with promptly following the completion of investigations. There was no immediate response from a Kappa Alpha Psi spokesperson.
Florida elevated hazing to a felony status in 2005 when it results in serious harm or death. This law was enacted after the tragic 2001 incident involving University of Miami freshman Chad Meredith’s death during a hazing-related drowning incident.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle emphasized that hazing is considered abuse and a criminal offense in Florida, often resulting in fatalities or severe injuries to the victims.
