By Leslie Aguilar

LAWRENCE, KS (KCTV/KSMO ) -- A video going viral this weekend shows a Lawrence man as he says he was being harassed and having a drink thrown at his face by KU students.

He claims it was the consequence of taking a wrong turn. The students, however, say they were confronting him for taking video of them without permission.

It happened outside the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

On Sunday, KCTV5’s Leslie Aguilar went to Lawrence to hear the concerns some are expressing.

Right now, many KU students are preparing for their first day of fall classes on campus Monday.

The university has a long list of new precautions and protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19, but some people in Lawrence said what happened yesterday is an example that many students aren’t going to take precautions seriously.

Jacob Schooler never expected the attention he’s gotten over the last 24 hours.

He said was driving home in Lawrence yesterday when he had to take a detour to avoid construction and large commotion of college students in the street.

The street turned into the Kappa Sigma parking lot.

Schooler said found himself in the middle of crowd of drunk students and set his phone to record in his lap as students blocked him from leaving the lot.

“One of the guys walked around to the side window -- passenger side window -- and tosses a drink that he had previously been drinking out of into the window, splashing me in the face, all down my side, and into the car,” he said.

Schooler then lifted his phone to record the students and a woman who appeared to be the fraternity house mom.

He’s still shocked by their behavior.

“This definitely stepped over a line,” he said.

Especially since the KU Interfraternity Council posted a document on Friday, prohibiting large social gatherings.

“The fraternity culture specifically often times has a lot of privilege and a lot of kind of ‘act first, ask permission later’-type situations,” Schooler said. “They tend to get away with a lot more rowdy behavior.”

Another video shows it wasn’t just Kappa Sigma partying it up.

Heather Kearn recorded a video along Tennessee Street because she was shocked to see unmasked students gathering in such large crowds.

“I just feel like it was extremely careless and reckless and fairly disrespectful,” she said.

She said the community in Lawrence has worked hard together to flatten the curve over the summer.

“Just to see that was just a slap in the face,” she said. “It was really just upsetting because nobody wants to live like this and I feel like it’s prolonging our misery.”

Kearn and Schooler are glad students are back because the local economy needs them. They just hope they can learn to be responsible by doing their part to stop the spread of the virus.

KCTV5 News reached out to the Interfraternity Council for a statement. We have yet to get a response.

The Chancellor of the University released a statement shortly before 10 p.m. Most notably, it states that cease and desist orders have been issued to Kappa Sigma and Phi Kappa Psi. A 14-day health ban has been issued for the organizations' members as well. The full statement is below:

"Commitment and responsibility

Jayhawks,

As we embark on a fall semester unlike any in history, I write to reiterate a straightforward reality: We cannot do this without you.

Specifically, we cannot do this unless each of you adheres to our health and safety guidelines. And we cannot do this unless each of you commits to thinking not only about yourself, but about the entire university community, in every decision you make. The safety of our university, and our ability to be on campus, depends on it.

We are aware of social activities over the weekend hosted by KU students in violation of county regulations and university policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have issued cease-and-desist orders to two fraternities – Kappa Sigma and Phi Kappa Psi – and issued 14-day public health bans for the members of these organization. We will not tolerate selfish and irresponsible behavior that puts the health and safety of our community at risk; that disrespects staff, faculty and students who have worked to prepare our campuses for reopening; that jeopardizes the long-term viability of the university; and that recklessly disregards the authorities of the university, city, and county.

I know most of our students are doing the right thing. But we will not accept noncompliance with health and safety protocols on-campus related to masks, physical distancing and large gatherings. Any student who does not follow university regulations may face student conduct action, including the removal of privileges to come to campus and possible suspension. Additionally, disregard for state or county guidelines could lead to civil or criminal penalties. These disciplinary actions and penalties can follow you throughout your academic career and impact your applications for graduate school or your first job after graduation.

Students, let us again be perfectly frank about our situation. We need each of you to rise to this occasion. We expect it of you, and we cannot settle for less.

Though this pandemic is impossibly complicated, the expectations of you are not. Each of you has the power to help by following some simple guidance: Wear your mask at all times. Maintain six feet of distance from others. Wash your hands. Stay home if you’re not feeling well. If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or potentially been exposed, follow the instructions given to you by health officials. These actions don’t take great effort. They are only a matter of will.

Further, if you see someone who isn’t doing these things — step up. Talk to that person and ask them to take appropriate action. Help them realize their decisions impact the whole community. Help them understand that we all need to look out for each other.

The bottom line is, each of us has a special responsibility to the community this year. I am counting on you to embrace this responsibility. And you can count on me and every member of our faculty and staff to continue making your health and safety our top priority.

Respectfully,

Doug

Douglas A. Girod

Chancellor

University of Kansas"

Also on Sunday night, Kappa Sigma at the University of Kansas posted the following statement on their Facebook page:

“STATEMENT FROM THE GAMMA-OMICRON CHAPTER OF KAPPA SIGMA

On the evening of August 22nd, an individual claiming to have made a wrong turn videotaped the members of Kappa Sigma for a period in excess of 5 minutes in our neighboring sorority’s parking lot. When confronted by our membership for maintaining his presence on private property, he became hostile, used aggressive language, and threatened to run over our members.

As an organization, the Gamma-Omicron Chapter of Kappa Sigma has not yet validated the individual’s claim that a beverage was thrown at him. If determined that is the case, that is an unacceptable action for which we apologize, and the member(s) responsible will be held accountable within the Chapter.

The members present in the lawn of the Chapter House are all residents of the Chapter House and acted in compliance with Douglas County guidelines pertaining to people residing together. No outside guests have been or are to be allowed on the property in accordance with current University of Kansas guidance. Our members were outside to welcome new sorority pledges to campus, at the request of sorority chapters, as other fraternities did similarly.

The Kappa Sigma facility is private property and has as its primary point of access a private drive owned and maintained by multiple property owners. While it is regrettable that this incident occurred, it is equally regrettable that individuals have subsequently chosen to invade the privacy of law-abiding individuals residing on their property, including inflicting property damage upon our house this morning. presumably prompted by the video this statement references.

Even more regrettable this past 24 hours has been the treatment of our House Director. She has the unenviable task of ensuring the Chapter House is sanitized twice daily, that members are in compliance with local ordinances and CDC guidance while attempting to provide the college experience these young men are seeking to obtain. All of our in-house residents have been tested for COVID-19, and none have received a positive result.

For those who stand to stifle the academic and personal growth of young people in 2020, we stand in firm opposition to that mindset and support fully the academic endeavors of our membership as they grow into the leaders of tomorrow.”