Autopsy: FAMU band member died within an hour of beatings

The autopsy of a Florida A&M band member shows that the 26-year-old drum major suffered heavy bleeding in his back, chest and arms and died within an hour of a violent hazing incident, the Orlando Sentinel and Tallahassee Democrat report.

The Florida medical examiner's office released a synopsis of the autopsy report last week in which it concluded that 26-year-old Champion's death on Nov. 19 was a homicide.

The full autopsy findings released Wednesday from the Orange-Osceola medical examiner's office says the 235-pound, 6-foot-1 Champion did not suffer any broken bones, but that internal injuries from "blunt force trauma" led to the fatal shock.

Three A&M students were arrested last week in connection with what police described as a hazing incident occurring before Champion's death.

The autopsy says that immediately after the hazing incident, Champion "complained of thirst and fatigue, minutes later he noted loss of vision and soon after had a witnessed arrest."

The autopsy noted heavy bleeding into the muscle and fatty tissue of Champion's back, chest and arms from the hazing and that he died within an hour after suffering the injuries.

Champion collapsed in Orlando on a bus carrying members of the Florida A&M Marching 100 band to a halftime performance.

CNN reports that some band members have said Champion died after taking part in a rite of passage called "crossing Bus C." One member, who CNN says spoke on condition of anonymity, described the ordeal in which students "walk from the front of the bus to the back of the bus backward while the bus is full of other band members, and you get beaten until you get to the back."

Champion's father, Robert Champion Sr., said he knew his son had been hazed.

"We just need to figure out what we need to do now to get the hazing under control," Champion told the Associated Press from his home in suburban Atlanta.

Band director Julian White was initially fired after Champion's death, but has since only been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.

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