The photos remind us that the cost of hazing is measured in human tragedy, not just numbers.
Row after row of young men and women, all killed by hazing. Sons, daughters, siblings, friends — students on the brink of adulthood, lives tragically cut short.
At least 334 young people have lost their lives to hazing in the United States since 1838, with 123 recorded hazing deaths just since 2000, according to data now available at HazingInfo.org.
For the first time, hazing deaths data from the past 187 years is available through an interactive web feature that honors the memories of those killed and calls new attention to the consequences of hazing.
Award-winning journalist, author, and investigator Hank Nuwer has spent 50 years researching and cataloging hazing deaths over time.
In 2025, Nuwer formed a partnership with the University of Washington Information School, the University of Maine, and HazingInfo.org, the nation’s first comprehensive website of hazing incidents at US colleges and universities.
They integrated Nuwer’s historical data into a new searchable database and built the interactive web feature. This preserves the data and makes it searchable for students, families, journalists, researchers, and others interested in the history of hazing.
“The data puts to shame those who have excused hazing as a ‘tradition’ and looked the other way for so many years while people have been injured or killed for simply trying to join an organization,” Nuwer said.
“This gives students and parents a detailed look at the history of hazing, and policymakers now have the grim facts needed to pass and enforce anti-hazing legislation,” he said.
The data reveals that between 1838 and 2025, two hazing deaths have been reported each year, on average.
Hazing’s toll has grown over the years: Since 2000, five hazing deaths per year have been reported, on average.
The first recorded hazing death was in 1838, when 18-year-old John Groves was hazed to death at his school in Franklin, Kentucky.
In February 2025, the most recent hazing death occurred when 20-year-old Caleb Wilson was hazed to death by fraternity members at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The data also shows that:
Researchers, journalists, policymakers, and others can request to download the data for additional analysis.
"At the Information School, we believe in using the power of data, information, and the internet to make a positive difference in our communities,” said Nam-ho Park, assistant teaching professor in the UW iSchool.
“HazingInfo.org has given our students a meaningful opportunity to put their skills into action — working on a project where increasing awareness through accessible information can truly help advance hazing prevention efforts on our campuses," he said.
A team of UW iSchool students, led by Park, developed the interactive feature over the past six months for their final capstone project: Christian Baldoza, Grayson Ellard, Marco Mendoza, Kaylina Saetern, and Cristina Villavicencio.
They also worked with Jolayne Houtz, HazingInfo’s founder, to analyze the data.
“It is powerful and heartbreaking to see the photos of each young person killed and learn their stories,” Houtz said. “We want people to remember their names, to understand that hazing remains a serious problem, and to take action toward ending hazing for good.”
Another key partner in this effort is the University of Maine.
“The hazing deaths database is invaluable as it illuminates the horrendous consequences of hazing for so many individuals, families, and communities,” said University of Maine Professor Elizabeth Allan.
She leads the new Hazing Prevention Research Lab in the College of Education and Human Development. She is also the founder of the research organization StopHazing.org.
“The secrecy and silence that often surround hazing are barriers to change. Making the tragedies more visible to the public is a necessary step toward prevention,” Allan said.
While the data represents the most comprehensive historical picture available of US hazing deaths, it should not be considered complete.
Many cases of hazing are never reported or investigated. Deaths from hazing may not be labeled as such. Definitions of hazing vary across campuses and states. And public awareness of and tolerance for hazing have changed over time.
The hazing deaths in the database include cases that appear to meet the most accepted definition of hazing.
They include accidental deaths, such as car accidents, that have occurred while hazing activities were being carried out, as well as suicides where families say hazing was a contributing factor.
The new hazing deaths database establishes a centralized hub for hazing incident data at HazingInfo.org, which launched in 2023 to provide the public with free, accurate information on hazing incidents at US colleges and universities.
HazingInfo’s mission is to provide students, families, policymakers, and others with access to timely, accurate information that brings hazing out of the shadows and helps college students and families make informed decisions about joining clubs, teams, and organizations.