Police are investigating a fraternity at the University of Kansas after members allegedly threw a live turkey like a football, choked it and killed it at a party on Friday.
Witnesses say the turkey was rented for the winter formal party at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house, the Kansas City Star reports. The bird was supposed to stay in a cage all evening, but at some point during the party, frat brothers took the bird out of the cage and started rough-housing with it. The brothers eventually broke the bird's wing, and the turkey started screaming. Some members of a band hired to play at the party were so disgusted they left early and called the police.
“It turned into a blood lust,” band member Chad Boydston told the Kansas City Star. “We saw a mob mentality.”
One of the frat brothers allegedly killed the bird out of pity later in the evening, the Associated Press reports.
More than 150 guests attended the party. “Out of all of these adults, including alumni, no one said anything,” Boydston told Fox 4 in Kansas City.
In response to the turkey abuse allegations, KU's Beta Theta Pi chapter has been suspended indefinitely by its national organization. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the frat's national leaders were "a little shocked."