Rook-on-Rook assault investigated

Early in October, over a dozen members from one of the freshman training companies in the Norwich University Corps of Cadets were allegedly involved in an incident on campus that administration says resulted in the assault of another freshman recruit.

The incident occurred late at night, after lights out, when freshmen are sent to bed by their cadre. Typically, lights-out occurs at 2200 hours (10 p.m.), and the incident "took place around 11 o'clock approximately," according to Brig. Gen. Michael Kelly, the commandant of cadets at Norwich.

According to Kelley, the incident was a "rookie birthday party" and "it consisted of about 13 rooks, all from the same platoon."

But the events that night were significantly more serious and harmful than a typical rookie birthday party, Kelley said.

"There are rook birthday parties and they are kind of a tradition around here," Kelley said. "But not like this one. (With) the rook birthday parties that I'm speaking of, a family member will send cake, and they will play with the cake, or they will wet down the person in the shower. But this was way beyond that."

The incident occurred when the victim was tricked by fellow freshmen in his platoon to leave his room after lights out to participate in a rookie birthday against another freshman, not against the victim himself.

"As I understand the sequence of events, a rook was called out of his room, ostensibly to go to another rook's room for a birthday party for another rook," Kelley said. "At that point, that rook was taken, duct-taped to a chair, and assaulted by members of (his company)."

Because of ongoing investigations by Norwich University and the Northfield Police Department, Kelley and other administrators were unable to comment on the direct forms of assault that occurred against the victim, but Kelley stated that the severity of the assault was very high.

"The manner on which it was done was reprehensible," Kelley said. "It wasn't that the result produced physical injury as much as the assault was absolutely wrong in the way it was delivered."

Although over a dozen freshmen were involved in the incident, no upperclassman were present during the assault and no cadre were aware of the ongoing events in the building, Kelley said. The incident was put to a stop when a senior in the corps noticed something unusual outside of Goodyear Hall.

"After lights out, the platoon leader for that particular platoon was out front of the building, and observed an overhead light on in (a freshman's) room," Kelley said. "So he went upstairs to investigate, and he discovered the birthday party had gone way too far, and put a stop to it."

Immediately after the discovery of the freshmen and the rookie birthday party, the senior cadet alerted the proper authorities and staff members, and began investigative actions.

"(He) started the initial gathering of information," Kelley said. "So the senior took immediate and significant action to stop what was going on, to gather initial information, and to make sure that the victim was OK."

This initial gathering of information was conducted by upperclassmen cadre from the same platoon.

"Other upperclassmen were involved in gathering information, sorting things out, making sure the person was OK. [The actual incident] was completely rook-on-rook, all from the same unit," Kelley said.

Norwich staff and the Northfield PD have questioned every rook involved in the incident, and the freshmen platoon leader who discovered them.

"Every rook that was involved is being questioned to determine their involvement," Kelley said. "Every rook involved has been investigated as part of this process."

Although both the school and the local police department are conducting investigations, the two cases are separate.

"We are moving forward on our own processes to charge those who we believe merit charges and adjudicating their cases," Kelley said. "But Northfield PD is doing a separate, independent investigation."

The freshmen involved could face consequences from both the school and legally through the Vermont court system.

"Those who were most significantly involved, if the allegations prove to have occurred, could face very significant sanctions," Kelley said.

The victim and his family opted for police involvement; it was not prompted by the school.

"It was the victim and the victim's family's decision to go to the police, as it is their right," Kelley said.

Since the incident occurred, no changes have occurred in the company; although the victim was given the chance to change companies he chose not to move, according to Kelley. Kelly also said that it has not created issues in the company to "the best of (his) knowledge."

Although upset that an event like this occurred, Kelley and other staff members were pleased with the way it was handled by the student leaders in the investigation.

"I would like to emphasize the senior who stopped the action ... in my opinion did the right thing and acted decisively. That's a very important lesson learned out of this. I absolutely state that he was not overreacting to an appropriate rook birthday party, because this was not (appropriate)," Kelley said.

Every year during the first few weeks of upperclassmen training, the Norwich staff conducts meetings with the new upperclassmen leaders and freshmen to talk about lessons learned from the past few years. This event, according to Kelley, will definitely be discussed.

"No one should ever be subjected to what happened or has allegedly happened to this recruit. It was way over the top," Kelley said. "We always try to learn, make tomorrow better. This would be used as an example of something that went way too far."

The school administration understands that rookie birthday parties are something that typically occurs among freshmen platoons at Norwich. They are not disturbed by the fact the event occured, but by its severity.

"We are not saying that rooks can't have fun," Kelley said. "They need to have some fun; they need to have a release, as we all do. But not like this."