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APD says hazing incident involved water, wooden paddles, rubber hoses

Not the typical broken-up house party: Albany police say they responded to a call for "a loud disturbance" early Friday morning in Pine Hills (map). The APD press release continues:

While investigating the incident, officers located a total of 14 individuals in the basement being subjected to what appeared to be an initiation for membership in an unsanctioned group or fraternity.

Officers observed several individuals lying face down on the basement floor with their faces submerged in water. They were being struck with wooden paddles and rubber hoses while being told to "beg for mercy" and having cold water from a garden hose poured on their heads.

APD says nine people in total were arrested on a variety of charges -- seven of them were charged with hazing in the second degree. APD spokesman Steven Smith says eight of the nine charged are UAlbany students.

Full press release post jump.

Here's an Albany Student Press article from 2009 about underground frats and hazing. [via @JonCampbellGAN]

APD: Hazing Arrests on Hudson Avenue

Albany police arrested nine people for hazing Friday morning at a home on Hudson Avenue.

On November 9th, 2012 at approximately 1:15 a.m., officers responded to 470 Hudson Avenue for a report of a loud disturbance. While investigating the incident, officers located a total of 14 individuals in the basement being subjected to what appeared to be an initiation for membership in an unsanctioned group or fraternity.

Officers observed several individuals lying face down on the basement floor with their faces submerged in water. They were being struck with wooden paddles and rubber hoses while being told to "beg for mercy" and having cold water from a garden hose poured on their heads.

Some of the individuals sustained minor cuts and abrasions but refused medical attention.

Fire investigators were also summoned to the scene to inspect several code violations. Fire investigators noted over a dozen violations within the residence.

The following residents from 470 Hudson Avenue were charged with Hazing 2nd, Criminal Nuisance 2nd, and Unlawful Assembly.

+ John Storte, 19
+ Nicholas Salamone, 20
+ Joseph Lane, 20
+ Anthony Morello, 20

Three others were charged with Hazing 2nd and Unlawful Assembly.

+ Vincent Serrecchia, 20, of 487 Hudson Avenue
+ Joseph Sheehan, 21, of 489 Hudson Avenue
+ Anthony Warme, 20, of Bronx, New York

Philip Terra, 21, of 466 Hudson Avenue, who was not present during the initial incident, pushed an officer at the back door in an attempt to get inside the house. He was charged with Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd and Resisting Arrest.

One of the individuals, Frank Calandra, 18, of 1400 Washington Avenue, was in possession of narcotic pills. He was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th.

All nine were arraigned Friday morning in the Albany City Criminal Court.