Former Penn State student speaks about alleged hazing

The death of a student at Penn State could have been avoided, according to one former student. He says he alerted the school to dangerous hazing practices at the university. He says he knows firsthand since it happened to him. That former student is now suing Penn State.

Former Penn State University student James Vivenzio says the grizzly details of the death of Timothy Piazza are simply too much for him.

"I started to cry I really couldn't get through many articles. It really hit my emotions," he said

Piazza is the PSU student who died an agonizing death after trying to pledge the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, according to a grand jury report.

James Vivenzio says he survived the brutal hazing at PSU's Kappa Delta Rho frat in the Fall of 2012 and tried to blow the whistle on it.

"The fact that a pledge has died in a house on the PSU campus is horrific especially after I came to PSU with al this information regarding hazing," he explained.

FOX 29 spoke to Vivenzio from his parents Virginia home in the wake of the indictment Friday of 18 members of the Beth Theta Pi fraternity for involuntary manslaughter in Piazza's death.

Vivenzio has brought a legal claim against the university and the fraternity.

His attorney says a PSU investigator made a stunning claim to his client.

"We know hazing is taking place We know hazing is taking place. He says he know it is going on (wink,wink) I'll look into this but nothing happens," Attorney Aaron Freiwald said.

Penn Sate has banned Beth Theta Pi fraternity for all time. In a statement Friday, it called the allegations "gut-wrenching" and said aggressive measures had been put in place to stop this. No comment on Vivenzio's case due the court action.