Pi Kappa Alpha president issues apology, no arrests made in ongoing case
Phi Mu sorority members and their house director were woken early Friday morning to a group of men pulling a screen off a window at the Phi Mu house in the Greek Village, according to a police report from USC’s Department of Law Enforcement and Safety.
Once the men were seen, they ran away. Shortly after, the women heard scratching at the front door.
The men were then seen “scratching unknown symbols, possibly their old fraternity letters,” into the house’s front door, according to the report.
All in all, the men caused $550 worth of damage.
Witnesses told an officer they recognized the men as “fraternity members who had been kicked out of the house three years ago.” Three years ago, the house at 6 Fraternity Circle was occupied by Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
The case remains open and no arrests have been made, but when questioned about the incident, Pi Kappa Alpha President Taft Havron immediately issued an apology.
“The members involved in this incident acted with blatant disregard for the fraternity’s values,” Havron said. “When we have significant information, we will punish those responsible with suspension and possible expulsion. The brothers of Pi Kappa Alpha harbor no negative feelings toward the sisters of Phi Mu.”
The scratches in the door closely resemble the Greek letter “pi” and a partially completed Greek letter “kappa” in the style of the letters on the fraternity’s coat of arms.
Phi Mu, which colonized at USC in Fall 2009, moved into its current house in 2010 after Pi Kappa Alpha’s lease was not renewed. Some members of Pi Kappa Alpha currently live in a house off campus, but the fraternity does not currently have any on-campus Greek housing.
If identified and charged, the men could face charges of vandalism and destruction of property.
Efforts to reach Phi Mu President Mackenzie Caldwell were unsuccessful Monday evening.