A Bowie State University student has filed a $3 million lawsuit against a campus fraternity, alleging he was abused and harassed while being hazed as a pledge in the fall of 2013.

Kevin Hayes, 20, says he was slapped and paddled by masked men as he attempted to become a member of Alpha Phi Alpha from September to November of last year, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in Prince George’s County Circuit Court.

Hayes said he attended pledge nights that sometimes lasted five to eight hours and was “punished” if he did not learn fraternity processes correctly, according to the lawsuit. After documenting bruises he said he received as a pledge, Hayes was then “bullied and threatened by members of APA and told to delete all photos and don’t tell what happened,” the lawsuit continued.

Hayes’s attorney, Jimmy Bell, said that the junior’s mother had met with fraternity officials about the allegations but that her complaints went unaddressed.

“When you’re dealing with the issue of hazing, you usually don’t hear about it until someone dies,” Bell said.

The lawsuit names Alpha Phi Alpha’s national organization and local chapter as defendants, along with three chapter members who allegedly knew of hazing or participated. Alpha Phi Alpha did not return calls for comment, and an automatic e-mail message from the national organization’s media representative said he would not return to the office until Jan. 5.

The national organization’s Web site, however, has an “Anti-Hazing Statement.”

“Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. strictly prohibits hazing in any form whether physical or mental as a term or condition of membership in the organization,” the statement says. “Pledging has been officially abolished as a means of obtaining membership in Alpha Phi Alpha and pledge ‘lines’ have been officially abolished by the Fraternity.”

In a statement, Bowie State officials said the university is aware of the lawsuit but not able to comment about allegations because it is not named as a party in the case.

Cassandra Robinson, a spokeswoman for Bowie State, said the university has a “stringent anti-hazing policy that is coupled with a strong anti-hazing education program.”

“The university considers hazing to be indefensible and contrary to the interest of the university community,” Robinson said in the statement. “We work continuously with Greek and other student organizations to assure understanding that no activity that causes mental, physical or social harm will be tolerated.”