The Hazing Death of Tucker Hipps

Who Was Tucker Hipps?

Born in June of 1995 to Gary and Cindy Hipps, Tucker was a vivacious young man growing up.  Cindy herself said that Tucker was born to an old couple, because they were older when he was born, she was 35.  She said that when he was born though, he changed their lives in a way they never imagined.  They had never planned on having children, but Tucker brought them such joy.  Gary said that growing up, he and Tucker played a lot, they just had a good time together.  Tucker always had a twinkle in his eye and his personality always showed through in whatever he was doing.  Even at a young age he was devout in his faith, accepting Christ into his life at 10 years old.  His family attended Rock Springs Baptist Church where Tucker was active in the youth groups and church sporting activities.  

Growing up, Tucker was also involved in Palmetto Boys State (There is also Palmetto Girls State for young women.), where he was a Senior Counselor.  Boy’s State is a program put together by the American Legion, and this is how they describe the program, “The American Legion’s Boys State program is a unique way for young men to learn about the American system of government and politics by participating in a mock governmental system.”  From what we gather, it’s a week-long program, similar to a summer camp where young men go and participate in activities to learn about different positions and levels of government.  When applying, prospective attendees have to have recommendations from teachers, counselors, or prominent members of society / their community, and they say that the program teaches leadership skills on top of the government education.  While there, they are broken up into groups and over the course of the week, they compete in athletics, trivia, and various events and activities.  They also have the opportunity to hear from some of South Carolina’s current leaders, as many of them were attendees of Palmetto Boys State themselves. 

In High School, Tucker was popular amongst other students and well liked by everyone who met him.  He was bubbly and always into something, but not in a bad way, he was just always doing something, never satisfied with just sitting around.  His dad described him as basically the quintessential “all American kid”.  When you think of that term, the person you picture is Tucker.  

In school, Tucker was a three sport athlete, and he was drawn to sports and the outdoors at a very early age.  As a family, the Hipps were always going and doing something sports related with or for Tucker.  When you ask people he grew up with, one of the things you hear over and over is that you will never meet someone who was more personable and there for you.  His parents said that when it came to materialistic things, Tucker was unlike a lot of other kids or young adults.  They said that like anyone, he liked having new things, but if you gave him a choice between getting some new “stuff” or using that money to go and do something with friends or family, he would pick to spend time with is friends and family 100% of the time. 

When you grow up in the area that Tucker grew up in and are looking at colleges to attend after high school, there are generally two types of people.  There are the people who eat, sleep, and breathe Clemson University, and the people who want nothing more than to go to a rival to Clemson.  

Founded in 1889, Clemson has a 1400 acre campus in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  It borders Lake Hartwell and also a nearby 17,500 acre area, the Clemson Experimental Forest, which the school manages and uses for research, education, and recreation.  Throughout the years, many athletes, musicians, authors, congressmen, senators and a governor or two have attended Clemson.  Tucker couldn’t wait to attend himself. 

September 22nd, 2014

In September of 2014, Tucker was a sophomore at Clemson University.  He was also pledging a fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon.   When he made his decision to join a fraternity, it wasn’t a decision that Tucker made alone.  His parents had their reservations, but there was an orientation at Clemson in which they talked about the benefits of joining a fraternity.  Specifically, students in fraternities had higher average GPAs and grades.  They had better time management skills generally, and in the right circumstances, had a group they could turn to and fall back on if they needed help while in school away from home and family.  So, as a family, they thought it was a good idea for Tucker to join and have that brotherhood away from home.  Tucker chose the fraternity because he had planned on attending Law School after Clemson, and the membership might prove useful in getting an internship down the road.  

On the morning of Tucker’s death, members of the fraternity went on a pre-dawn, early morning run.  There were 25+ members of the fraternity on the run that morning.  While on the run, they went over a bridge above Lake Hartwell.  Some would later say that on the bridge, they noticed that Tucker lagged behind, but assumed that he would catch up.  They thought maybe he needed to catch his breath, or maybe one of his shoes had come untied or something along those lines.  They continued on.  

The run occurred sometime around 5:30 AM, and no one knew that anything was amiss until Tucker didn’t show up for the fraternity breakfast at 7:00 AM. They looked around the house, and noticed that Tucker’s keys and cell phone were still in the spot where the brothers instructed the pledges to leave their things before the run.  The pledges continued to look for Tucker after discovering his keys and phone, but no one reported anything to authorities.  They retraced their steps over the morning, but no one found Tucker.  Finally around 1:45 PM, Campbell Starr, member of the fraternity called campus police asking for information concerning Tucker. 

911 Call Click to Listen

• Campbell: Um.. Hi um, I’m calling to see if early this morning or at some point today y’all picked up .. like a 19 year old guy, brown hair.  He’s like my buddy.  I’m looking for him. 

• Dispatcher: We haven’t arrested anybody today. 

• Campbell: No, not like an arrest, just like picked him up. 

• Dispatcher: What do you mean picked up?

• Campbell: I don’t know.  Just like off the side of the road or something. 

• Dispatcher: Um.. No, we don’t just pick up people off the side of the road…. The only time we do is if we have an arrest or we have to send medics out to somebody. 

• Campbell: Okay. 

• Dispatcher: Where was the last place you saw your buddy?
• Campbell: Uhhhhhhhhh, We went for a run this morning. 

The dispatcher continued to ask questions regarding where they looked for Tucker, if they checked his apartment or his classes to see if he was just going on about his day.  As they were talking, Campbell mentioned that they didn’t want to file a report or anything, they were just hoping the police could help out somehow.  The dispatcher asked Campbell if he called a neighboring police department to see if they had arrested or picked up Tucker, and Campbell was adamant that Tucker wouldn’t have been arrested, just “picked up.”

They then discussed the events that lead to them not being able to find Tucker and went over the path they took during their run, specifically going over the bridge and around the lake.  The dispatcher asked if they backtracked their steps, and Campbell said that they ran the route again, and even checked the woods along the route, but there was no sign of Tucker anywhere.  The dispatcher asked for Tucker’s name, and Campbell again said that he didn’t want to file any kind of report.  The dispatcher then explained that she wanted it in case there was a medical call, she needed his name.  Campbell then gave her Tucker’s name.  She asked for the caller’s name, and he gave her his name and number to call in case they got any reports of Tucker’s location.

Around 2:15 PM, police officers began searching near the bridgethat Campbell Starr told the dispatcher about.   

Around 3:30 PM, an officer spotted a body in the water,it turned out to be Tucker.  Authorities launched a death investigation.  

Around 5:15 PM, rescue divers recovered Tucker’s body from the shallow water around the bridge.  It was less than 10 feet from the shoreline. 

At 6:30 PM, investigators left the area of the bridge and lake.  

At 7:50 PM, the Sheriff’s office announced that they recovered a body from the lake. 

At 8:40 PM, the coroner identified the body as Tucker officially. 

What Happened?

Investigators talked with everyone who was on the run that morning.  They all told the same basic story.  Essentially the same thing that Campbell told the police dispatcher when he placed the call.  They all met and went out for a run, leaving their keys and phones at the frat house.  Once they got back home and noticed that Tucker wasn’t around for breakfast, they began to search for him.  They didn’t find him and eventually contacted the police.  

An autopsy showed that Tucker died of head injuries consistent with having hit rocks in the shallow water near the end of the bridge.  And that’s pretty much all the investigators had to go on.  The members of the fraternity basically all lawyered up and stopped assisting in the investigation.  

And that was it for quite a while.  Investigators kept trying to get more and more information, but no one would talk.  After interviewing more than 50 people about what happened to Tucker the day he disappeared, it became clear to everyone that there was much more to the story than what they were being told, but again, no one would talk.  There were rumors that swirled around the campus as well.  Many of these rumors  involved Tucker’s frat brothers, especially Sam Carney, who’s dad also happens to be the current governor of Delaware.  Many of the rumors mention cover ups by the fraternity and Clemson University to protect the members of the frat because of who their parents are.  

There’s one thing to keep in mind about people who attend Clemson who aren’t on a scholarship or receive any grants or significant financial aid… It’s not a cheap college by any means.  While this statement itself can be said about almost any Division 1 school across the country, it seems like the majority of the South Eastern big name colleges get looked at in this light.  Even amongst them, Clemson is thought of by many to be expensive.  If you go there not on a scholarship, you are either going to be in debt for the better part of your life, or you come from money.   Mostly, it’s the latter.  That’s just too kinda put it into perspective.  We’re not talking about just people attending a school, we’re talking mostly about people whose families have generational wealth, and some have powerful friends in powerful positions.  

With that in mind, we can talk about the most often mentioned and believed theory as to what happened.  Supposedly, a witness has come forward and talked to authorities, off the record, and Tucker’s parents have filed wrongful death suits which contain more details.  

In lawsuits filed by Tucker’s parents, they claim that before the run was scheduled to take place (pre-dawn runs like this were banned by the university BTW), a “brother” had sent Tucker a text and told him to bring breakfast for everyone; 30 McDonalds biscuits, 30 hashbrowns, and 2 gallons of chocolate milk.  Tucker responded that he didn’t have enough money to cover it and was told to get it from other pledges.  When the group showed up without the food, the one who told Tucker to bring everything, Bryan Golnek, was very angry.  He then called another brother, Thomas King, and angrily told him that Tucker and the other pledges didn’t bring breakfast.  While on the run, they allege that King asked Tucker to stay back with him on the bridge and confronted him.  Next thing they know, Tucker has gone over the rail.  King called Campbell Starr and Sam Carney to come help look for Tucker… by shining the flashlight from his cell phone over the rail of the bridge.  

The off the record witness provides a little more to the story….

Hazing

The witness said that when they were on the bridge, they forced Tucker to get on one of the rails along the bridge and walk across.  It was a known hazing that the fraternity had forced pledges to do in the past.  The witness said that at one point, Tucker was walking along the rail and slipped.  He caught himself and tried to pull himself up, but lost his grip and fell into the shallow water head first.  A different account claims that Tucker was pushed from the rail, but again, this has never been confirmed or on the record.  Before they called the police, one of his fellow pledges allegedly texted Tucker’s girlfriend and told her that they had seen Tucker at the library to keep her from getting alarmed when she wasn’t able to find Tucker and alerting his parents or the police.  He told his frat brothers that this would “Help buy time.”

Another story claims that when King asked Tucker to stay back and talk with him, others were there as well.  As “punishment” for not bringing breakfast, they dangled him over the rails by his ankles or legs and lost their grip, dropping Tucker into the water below.  Whatever happened, it’s pretty clear that there was more to it than anyone is willing to say.  Tucker didn’t slip while running and fall over the rail, that just didn’t happen. 

Hazing, defined as any activity that is required of someone joining or participating in a group that is humiliating, dangerous, or degrading, has been a long-standing problem on college campuses across the United States.  The practice has been linked to a number of serious injuries and deaths, including those of Tucker Hipps and many others before him.  In fact, according to a study by the National Collaborative for Hazing Research and Prevention, approximately 1 in 3 students involved in college clubs, teams, and organizations has experienced hazing at one point in time.

Tucker’s death sparked a significant amount of attention and controversy surrounding hazing and fraternity activities at Clemson University.  Many students and members of the community were shocked and saddened by Tucker’s death and called for changes to be made to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.  In response to the incident, Clemson University implemented a number of changes to its policies related to Greek organizations, including stricter regulations for hazing and alcohol use, as well as increased oversight of fraternity and sorority activities.

Hipps’ parents, Gary and Cindy Hipps, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university, the fraternity, and several individuals involved in the incident.  The lawsuit claimed that the fraternity and university were liable for Hipps’ death due to their failure to properly supervise and regulate the activities of the fraternity.  In 2019, a jury rejected all of the claims and found no fault to any of the defendants.

The death of Tucker Hipps serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers of hazing and the importance of preventing it.  Universities and organizations must take steps to address this issue, including implementing stricter regulations and oversight, promoting education and awareness, and creating a culture of respect and inclusion.  It’s crucial to remember that hazing is not just a problem on college campuses, but also in other organizations, and that it’s a global problem that needs to be addressed.  The case of Tucker Hipps is a tragic example of how hazing can lead to severe consequences, and it’s essential for organizations to take action to prevent any future incidents. 

In the years since Tucker’s death, Sigma Phi Epsilon has closed their chapter at Clemson University.  Before Tucker’s death, pre-dawn runs had been banned on campus.  The frat had called the university to try to get permission to do the run, but they were never called back and decided to do the run anyway.  Pledges were told to wear black or dark clothing so they wouldn’t be seen when they were out.   They claimed it was a “fitness event.”  

Sam Carney, son of Delaware governor John Carney, was supposedly the mastermind of the pre-dawn run and organized everything.  Gov. Carney and his wife expressed their condolences to Gary and Cindy, but that’s the extent of it.  

After his death, Gary and Cindy worked tirelessly to try to pass legislation against hazing.  The Tucker Hipps Transparency Act states that all public institutions of higher education, excluding technical colleges, must provide a public report of actual findings of violations of the institution’s Conduct of Student Organizations by fraternity and sorority organizations formally / currently affiliated with the institution.  The reports include conduct violations regarding the following: alcohol, drugs, sexual assault, physical assault, and hazing.  Reports are required to be listed in a prominent location on institutional websites for a period of four years. The institutions are required to update their reports at least 45 calendar days before the start of the fall and spring academic semesters. Institutions must also notify the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education within 14 calendar days after reports have been updated.

The Tucker W. Hipps Memorial Foundation was established in Tucker’s honor and their mission statement states in part, “With a mission of “helping people help others”, the Tucker W. Hipps Memorial Foundation plans to engage with other community organizations that help the needy and less fortunate by seeking to improve their lives.   Tucker knew how blessed he was and he had a passion to help those who were not as blessed.  Tucker was not afraid to share his love and joy with anyone no matter who they were or where they lived.  Tucker was a shining light of hope and encouragement to his family and friends and that hope continues as the foundation strives to minister to those impacted by his life.”

They hold a charity golf tournament every year, the next will be their 9th year of doing the golf tournament.  In March of 2023, they will hold their 2nd Annual Tucker W. Hipps Memorial Bass Fishing Tournament.  

Cindy told a story of when Tucker was younger.  He told her that he was going to be a basketball star when he grew up.  He told his mom that one day he was going to make her rich and famous.  She said, 

“I don’t know about the rich part, and I don’t really know about the famous part… but he sure left an impression on this world.”

Anyone with information that will help the investigation into Tucker’s death and help reveal the truth about the events that lead to his death are asked to call the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau at (864) 718-1052 and speak with investigator Jimmy Dixon.  Anonymous tips can be given at http://www.oconeesccrimestoppers.com/ or by calling 1-888-CRIME-SC.  There is a reward of $100,000 for any information that leads to closure in the case.