Nationwide — Anthony Joseph Blas, an 18-year-old African American college student from California, died after he was taken to a hospital in an unresponsive condition. The Cal State Fullerton student had attended an off-campus fraternity event before he was taken to the hospital, where medical staff were unable to save him. Police said preliminary findings point to alcohol consumption as a contributing factor, while the official cause and manner of death remain pending.
The Fullerton Police Department said officers responded to St. Jude Medical Center shortly after midnight on Sept. 13. Blas was dropped off at the emergency department at about 12:07 a.m. in an unresponsive condition. Medical personnel immediately attempted lifesaving measures, but the teenager was later pronounced dead. Detectives then began looking into what happened before he arrived at the hospital.
Investigators determined that the events leading to his death occurred near Associated Road and Milton Avenue. Blas, who was a student at California State University, Fullerton, had been attending a function connected to an unaffiliated fraternity, according to People. Police have not identified the fraternity in their public statement. Their preliminary investigation found alcohol consumption at the gathering and indicated that it may have played a role in the teenager’s death.
Authorities said the investigation has not found evidence of foul play. Police also said they do not consider hazing to be a factor in the case. Those findings remain part of the preliminary investigation, meaning officials have not yet released a final determination about what caused Blas’ death. The Orange County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office is expected to determine the official cause and manner of death.
The university confirmed that Blas was one of its students and said his death occurred over the weekend at an off-campus residence. Cal State Fullerton also said it was offering support to students who may have been affected by the death. That support includes counseling through its Counseling and Psychological Services program, while university officials said they were also reaching out to members of the campus community.
The Fullerton Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death. Because the coroner’s determination has not yet been released, additional details about the exact cause of death remain unavailable. Police have asked that questions about the ongoing investigation be directed to the department as authorities work to establish what happened before Blas was taken to the hospital.