Robert Champion Dead: FAMU Band Shut Down After Student's Death

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida A&M University President James Ammons is suspending all practices and performances of the school's famed Marching 100 band until investigators can determine what led to a member's death last weekend.

Ammons announced Tuesday that the school will form an independent task force to look into the death of 26-year-old Robert Champion. He was found on a bus parked in front of a hotel Saturday night after a football game. He was vomiting and saying he couldn't breathe before he collapsed.

The task force will examine whether there have been ongoing inappropriate band customs or traditions. The school has had problems with hazing in the past. Ammons says the school will cooperate with Orange County deputies who are investigating the death.

Comments

[enhancedvibes]

10:32 AM on 11/28/2011

Band director has since been fired and rightly so. I am confused by all the posts saying the band should not be shut down. FAMU marching band has a history of hazing. I'm sure this incident was the last straw for a man that claims to have been in control of the situation. Firing him was the only correct response. As to canceling all band performances, I really see nothing wrong with that. The allegations of hazing cant be tied to the cause of death because the cause of death is not clear yet. Not a lot is being reported right now, but I think its reasonable to assume that some band members claim to have knowledge of hazing and that is why the death is being investigated as more than accidental. I dont get why people dont understand that even though they are just allegations now the band should not be allowed to continue performing.

[Ava Johnson]

11:43 AM on 12/02/2011

I disagree. He has told the folks and the administration decided not to do a damn thing. A 21 year old was beaten so bad (in his kidneys) due to hazing in 2001. Why didn't the school do anything about it? They were told time and time again, and yet the administration let it go on regardless. I hate any group that the school puts on a pedastal.

[Carolyn Harvey]

10:20 PM on 11/26/2011

This seems like a very, very violent case of hazing, hazing in all colleges should be discontinued immediately and should be written into the code and conduct of the school and if it is proving that this young man died because of an hazing that got out of hand, those responsible should be prosecuted to the full extent.

'GOD" bless this young mans family right now because they are I am sure in a state of shock, despair and unbelievable grief.

R.I.P Young Man

[Ed Saletnik]

12:51 PM on 11/26/2011

Every news report I've read on this incident said that the deceased threw up couldn't breathe and died minutes later. Every news report I've read on this incident said that hazing was to blame yet I have yet to see any journalist connect the dots between hazing and the cause of death.

[enhancedvibes]

10:06 AM on 11/28/2011

I believe investigation is all internal right now, possibly even protecting band members who testified in re the hazing.

[LovingLife 28]

01:55 AM on 11/26/2011

I am extremely proud of the Florida policemen and CSI looking into this case. I have known Robert since high school and even then I always knew that he wanted to be a part of the Marching 100. When we were attending South West DeKalb HS, during the marching band practices he would talk about being a drum major for FAMU was one of his greatest goals. Even in HS he worked really hard and became drum major a year before I graduated. Therefore, I know that this was a great passion of his but at the same time I wish he wasn't so involved in it where he would get hazed several times. I know when he dropped his mase I know he was so embarrassed to do that in front of almost 62,000 people so for them to do that to him after that was just senseless!!!! All I can say is may God have mercy on their souls because I hope the Florida police doesn't!!! R.I.P Robert I know you didn't go in peace but I surely know that you are in peace now!!!!!

[tunderwo1]

05:08 AM on 11/25/2011

My prayers go out to the family. Although in this particular situation, there is no proof that hazing is the cause of death, the act of hazing itself is certainly deserving of severe consequences for anyone who participates. People don't attend college to die, therefore, life-threatening acts should not be incorporated into any college-related activity. If this incident was the result of hazing, heads need to roll from the top of the organization to the bottom. In fact, even if it's determined that this wasn't the result of hazing, FAMU needs to take some precautionary measures to get ahead of its hazing reputation. It is troubling that hazing can be raised as a possibility, and as a result, an entire music program is shut down because of obvious concerns of administration that it could indeed be true. This program should not be shut down because there are hundreds of innocent kids who depend on scholarships provided as a resul the band, and may have no other way to get through college. What they need to do is start firing some administrators for overlooking a problem that has been in existence for years, dismiss kids involved in these activities, and salvage what they can of their reputation.

[VA Jill]

03:16 PM on 11/24/2011

Let the medical examiner do his/her job before you start slinging blame. Mr. Champion's death may have been due to hazing.....or not. That said, any kind of hazing that involves physical violence, excessive alcohol, or the ingestion of noxious substances should not only be banned, but prosecuted for the assault it is.

[nbb]

05:56 AM on 11/24/2011

Ammons looked shabby on ABC news last night, questioning whether the pummeling had anything to with Champion's death. King of denial.

[Dr EB]

12:26 AM on 11/24/2011

My prayers go out to the family.

[Kritikos]

06:22 PM on 11/23/2011

With band director White placed on leave, this seems to be more serious than originally reported. If hazing was, in any way, involved in the death of the drum major, the whole dept. and staff should be looked at very closely. This is a shameful way for a program with a rich tradition to collapse. The custom of hazing should not be tolerated anywhere.

[asantewa3]

11:26 AM on 11/23/2011

Hazing has been a part of student groups for a very long time. Why do school officials always wait until someone dies or is seriously injured before they do anything to stop the practice?

[mynameisGEOFF]

11:04 AM on 11/23/2011

Hazing is great, but some people take it too far. I was hazed into my fraternity, and I haze others in it. I hated every moment of it, but looking back, I'd rather have had it done than not. The stuff we did wasn't bad, and certainly not life-threatening. This, on the other hand, is most likely alcohol poisoning. That's too much. There is a culture of intense hazing among Black student groups - fraternities AND sororities. APA's (Frat) "throwing wood" (beating pledges with paddles), Ques (Omega Psi Phi, frat) branding, DST's (Soro) holding hands, with a hot coal placed in their hands. That kind of stuff needs to stop.

[Neymar]

09:16 AM on 11/23/2011

Shut it down forever. They are the most overrated band ever who are popular only for being big and and loud(out of tune). They haze freshmen constantly too.

[MAX MAN]

02:40 PM on 11/27/2011

You sound like you were one who couldn't make it!

[Florida Peach]

08:26 AM on 11/23/2011

I'm a graduate of FAMU and this was just so sad. The Florida Classic is a time for celebrating and rivalry. I hate that this young man's life was ended so early. The 100 has a long tradition of great musicianship but also has a long overlooked tradition of hazing. I don't know what caused Robert Champion's death, but the simple fact that hazing has come up as a possibility should put the University administration on notice that more has to be done to eliminate this practice. There are so many other factors out there working against our bright young stars. I hate that it has become common place that their lights are being snuffed out before they have time to shine because they are "dying to belong".

[Ezra Black]

07:21 AM on 11/23/2011

If this death proves to be a result of hazing is goes beyond sad to the point of being criminal. When, as Black people, have we started feeling like we have to degrade our fellow man in order for them to be a part of an organization.

When , as Black people, have we started feeling like one is superior over another just to play in a college band or to be part of a Greek organization? When, as Black people, have we been so anxious to be Greek, when Greek people (for the most part) want nothing to do with us?

On college campus all over the United States there are so many men / women who are preparing for hazing so that other weak minded individuals can feel like they "belong" to something special. Where have we gone so wrong that our mental state is so weak that we will do anything to "belong" to something that we feels makes us "special."

I wonder if the hazers, if they face jail time, will have any special rights or priviledges once they enter into the prison system.

[Megandale]

06:45 PM on 11/25/2011

You place emphasis on black people, but this is a problem among all races. I don't agree that people who try to get into frats are weak-minded in the least bit. These kids get to college and realize that their colleges are run by frats...then they join. I'm glad that my school didn't have frats, as I (a strong-willed white female) would have probably tried to join.

[Ezra Black]

12:26 PM on 11/26/2011

So the Frats run college campuses like the mafia runs the garment district. Weak minded people fall for the BS that frat put out

[SFMCKOY]

01:31 AM on 11/23/2011

THIS IS A TERRIBLE INCIDENT AND NO MOTHER (FAMILY) SHOULD HAVE TO SEE HER SON OR DAUGHTER IN A CASKET RETURNING FROM COLLEGE. THERE WILL BE A CRIMINAL
ACTION CASE IN THE COURTS AND THE ADMINISTRATION MUST SHOW THAT IT HAS A NO HAZING POLICY AND WHAT ACTIONS WERE TAKEN AFTER THE YOUNG MAN DIED. THE
BAND WILL COME BACK, STRONG AS EVER. STOP CRITIZING EACH OTHER AND REMEMBER MR. CHAMPION'S FAMILY.