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Four Florida A&M University Students Dismissed In Connection With Death

David McAlpine |
December 1, 2011 | 12:21 p.m. PST

Executive Producer

Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Four students were dismissed from Florida A&M University Thursday morning in connection with the death of a marching band member last month.

Emergency officials released a 911 call earlier in the day, which showed the student had vomit in his mouth right before he died.

From The Associated Press via USA Today:

In the 911 recording obtained by The Associated Press, an unidentified caller told the emergency dispatcher that Champion had stopped breathing and was unresponsive. Champion had just thrown up, the caller said before handing the phone to a second man.

"We need an ambulance ASAP," the first caller said. "His eyes are open but he's not responding."

The dispatcher told the second man to place Champion on his back and clean any vomit from his nose and mouth. But the call was disconnected before the caller could say if he was successful. Before the call ended, the man told the dispatcher he was going to attempt to resuscitate Champion. He also is heard ordering another man to get a defibrillator from inside the hotel.

"He is cold," the second caller said.

Robert Champion, the 26-year-old drum major, was later found unresponsive on the a bus.

Now, Florida Gov. Rick Scott is calling for a revamping of hazing and harassment policies at state universities.

From CNN:

In a letter to the chancellor of the state university system, Scott said "hazing should be strictly condemned on our college and university campuses and by any organization associated directly or indirectly with our institutions."

He asked Chancellor Frank Brogan to request that the state's 11 university presidents also "remind students, faculty and staff of these policies and procedures and how potentially detrimental hazing can be," his letter said.

Florida A&M University has said they are conducting their own independent investigation.

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