PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A hazing incident that resulted in a “life-altering” personal injury to a 20-year-old man is now at the center of an $8.47 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Alpha and Linfield College.

The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, identifies the defendants as the national Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, its local chapter Delta Rho, the local chapter’s building association, Linfield College and a man named William Samp.

According to the lawsuit, “as part of a required ‘pledge’ party to ‘initiate’ students into ‘full’ fraternity membership,” the defendants “coerced” 20-year-old Kellen Johansen to drink alcohol, forced him to run naked through the college’s campus and to retrieve illegal fireworks.

Samp is identified in the lawsuit as the president of the fraternity.

According to the lawsuit, the fireworks were stored in a shed on the fraternity house’s property, which is owned by the building association.

Samp “then negligently discharged the illegal fireworks, resulting in a catastrophic injury that required the surgical removal” of Johansen’s right eye, the lawsuit claims.

The rocket-type firework allegedly failed to go up into the air and exploded on the ground. Flaming embers from the “illegal” firework are said to have struck Johansen.

The alleged incident occurred on April 16, 2016.

At the party, Samp pressured Johansen “to drink alcohol even though Mr. Johansen was under [21] at the time of the pledge party,” according to the lawsuit.

McMinnville Police Capt. Dennis Marks told KOIN 6 News police were called to the hospital after a report a student was hurt by a firework.

Police learned the student was frat member in Pi Kappa Alpha, and the investigating officer found some but not an excessive amount of alcohol was present. However, no alcohol citations were issued.

Three people witnessed the mishap, police said.

Marks also said there was no allegation at the time of hazing, and the case was closed.

The lawsuit alleges the fraternity violated state law by providing alcohol to a minor when it served beer and rum.

It is alleged that the pledge party was “mandatory” in order for junior members to become “full” members of the fraternity.

Samp and other members of the fraternity are accused of requiring Johansen to “disrobe and run naked through part of the Linfield College campus, in front of a jeering audience.”

Johansen was a full-time student enrolled in Linfield College. At the time of the incident he was 20 years old. Records show Johansen plans to resume his studies this spring. The lawsuit describes him as an avid skier, baseball player and a black belt-level martial arts enthusiast.

“As a result of his catastrophic injury, Johansen will never again be able to participate fully in those activities,” the lawsuit alleges.

Scott Bernard Nelson, Director of Communications and Marketing at Linfield College, released a statement to KOIN 6 News that said: “This is the first I’ve heard of this. We have yet to be served with a lawsuit, so I have no comment at this time.”

Gabriel Weaver, one of the Johansen’s attorneys, said he could not immediately comment on the lawsuit until conferring with his co-council Jim McDermott.

Attempts to reach Pi Kappa Alpha, its local Linfield chapter, and the building association have not been successful.

In February 2016, the college posted a news update that stated Samp had attended the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity’s Chapter Executives Conference, a 3-day event that provides “best practices and hands-on training for chapter presidents, treasurers and recruitment chairmen.”

The local chapter’s recruitment website also has a section devoted to anti-hazing.Linfield College provided KOIN 6 News with the following expanded statement on Feb. 1, 2017:“In the early-morning hours of April 16 last year, we received notice that a student had been injured in an accident off campus.We worked with the student’s family to make housing and academic accommodations, and he was able to return to campus to finish the spring semester. This past fall, he was enrolled in an off-campus study program at American University in Washington, DC, as part of his work with Linfield’s Political Science department. He’s registered to be back on campus next week for the spring semester here.A reporter notified us late yesterday afternoon that a lawsuit had been filed and that there was an allegation of hazing, although we have not been served with the complaint. That’s the first we had heard about hazing. We prohibit any and all forms of hazing, and our fraternities and sororities know that. We will follow college disciplinary policy when the students return for spring semester.This is a terrible accident. Fortunately, our student has been able to continue his studies, and we look forward to him returning to campus and successfully finishing his degree.”The fraternity also provided a statement to KOIN 6 News. It can be seen below.