The Tallahassee Police Department’s (TPD) investigation into
an alleged hazing incident involving FAMU’s “Torque” dance team is at a standstill.
No one is giving the detectives any information that is sufficient to pursue
criminal charges.
The all-female “Lovely Ladies of Torque” group was suspended
earlier this month. According to WCTV-6, “a parent reported an alleged hazing
over the Labor Day Weekend. Freshmen were reportedly forced to drink alcohol
and run up a hill.”
The parent made the tip anonymously and did not provide the
names of any of the alleged hazers or victims. FAMU received the tip on Sept. 4 and the FAMU Department of Public Safety turned the information over to TPD, which began investigating on Sept. 5.
A TPD press release stated that “investigators have followed
all leads and interviewed all known parties connected with this event and are
unable to identify any suspects or victims in this case.”
A statement that Torque President Genae Smith released on
Sept. 13 expressed confidence that the hazing allegations against her
organization would not stick.
“We are offering 100% cooperation and is fully confident that
we will be exonerated of all accusations upon completion of this tedious
process,” Smith wrote. “Simply put, ‘The Lovely Ladies of Torque’ is a non-hazing
organization.”