Syracuse fraternity targeted during Jewish holiday dinner

A Syracuse University fraternity was targeted Tuesday night while celebrating the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah.

The SU chapter of Zeta Beta Tau, which is listed on its national website as a historically Jewish fraternity, was celebrating with a dinner in the house when an SU student reportedly entered the house at 6 p.m. and threw meat at members.

A statement from Chief Student Experience Officer Allen Groves said the meat was believed to be pork, and the student then fled in a car driven by a second SU student.

Groves ended the statement and said the incident “violates our core value of being a place that is truly welcoming to all.”

Both students have been arrested and will face a community standards investigation, as well as potential antisemitic hate crime charges, according to the statement.

Samuel Patten and Kyle Anderson, both 18, were named as the two individuals charged, according to Syracuse.com. Court documents show that the charges for Patten and Anderson were 2nd degree burglary as a hate crime and 2nd degree criminal nuisance.

According to their LinkedIn profiles, Patten and Anderson are both business majors. Patten is accused of throwing an open bag of pork across the ZBT front entrance, according to Syracuse.com. Anderson is accused of driving the car.

ZBT released a statement on their Instagram early Wednesday morning denouncing the crime.

“This was an attack on our home, our values, and our safety, as well as every Jewish student on campus,” the statement said. “Zeta Beta Tau does not stand for antisemitism or any form of hate within our community.”

Statement provided by ZBT

A member of the ZBT executive board was reached for a comment Wednesday morning, but declined due to it being an active situation.

A SU public safety officer and squad car were seen stationed outside the house on Wednesday morning.

This story is currently developing and will be updated.