Former MU student files lawsuit against fraternity

COLUMBIA - A former University of Missouri student filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity, the Alpha Kappa Chapter and several members for injuries he claims he suffered as a pledge last fall.

On the night of September 27-28, 2016, then-freshman Brandon Zingale said he was forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol by active members until he was incapacitated. Zingale was found the next morning unconscious, barely breathing and drenched in urine, foaming from his mouth.

Zingale arrived at the hospital 10 hours after he initially began drinking. At the hospital, his blood alcohol count was 0.41; for comparison, the legal limit for driving in Missouri is 0.08. Zingale suffered from alcohol poisoning as well as other serious injuries.

The lawsuit claimed that KA and the MU Chapter were aware that the dangerous drinking tradition still existed, but didn't take any effective measures to manage it.

MU investigated the fraternity and found it had violated many regulations. As a result, the university withdrew the chapter's recognition for a five year period.