Family, friends seek justice after St. Cloud State swimmer allegedly beaten by fellow student

Family and friends are demanding justice for a St. Cloud State University student after he was allegedly assaulted by another student last Saturday.

The university tweeted they are aware of the off-campus incident and the St. Cloud police department is investigating.

SCSU is aware of an off-campus incident with a student athlete & student on 9/18. It is under investigation by the St. Cloud Police Dept. SCSU takes these incidents seriously. Safety is a top priority. The student athlete has been suspended from the team as SCSU investigates. pic.twitter.com/WQmTFESaUw

— St. Cloud State (@stcloudstate) September 25, 2021

University officials said the suspect has been suspended from the wrestling team while they investigate what happened, but family and friends of the victim, Chad Waldrop, said it’s not enough.

“It’s like a gut punch that something so severe could happen to such a sweet kid,” Laura Carson, family spokesperson said.

Family members said on Sept. 18, around 1:30 a.m., Waldrop heard a woman screaming outside his house on Seventh Avenue South in St. Cloud. The 20-year-old went outside to help.

“He was trying to be a good Samaritan and a good citizen and trying to help out a female he thought was in duress,” Carson said.

He found a man and a woman outside but was told to mind his business.

Eyewitnesses said while he was walking back inside his house, he was thrown to the ground by the man, who is also a St. Cloud State University student-athlete.

“The Minnesota doctor that he saw basically put it that his face was like a jigsaw puzzle,” Carson said.

Neighbors who watched it happen say the man started punching Waldrop in the face while he was unconscious.

“He literally just dragged Chad’s unconscious body inside and threw him in our house and just left him there,” said Jake Hendrickson, Waldrop’s roommate.

Waldrop was on the St. Cloud State University swim team, but this ended his career. His fall semester was also cut short while he recovers from his injuries at home in South Carolina.

“It’s sad my roommate is gone now and he might be out the school because of what this guy did,” Hendrickson said.

There’s a long road to recovery for Waldrop.

The family says he has to get facial reconstructive surgery and they have to add five metal plates to Waldrop’s face. His jaw was wired shut to heal correctly.

“It’s sad we walk into the room and there’s nothing there anymore and it hurts,” Waldrop’s friend Matthew Corrigan said. “Chad was a great guy. We all loved him."

Family and friends said more has to be done to get justice for Waldrop.

“We’re at the point we all have to post on our stories about it and we have to hang flyers on campus because nobody is doing anything,” Hendrickson said.

The family spokesperson said Waldrop pressed charges.

“Justice will be served when this man can be arrested and punished for the crime he committed,” Carson said.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to St. Cloud police several times but has not heard back yet.

The family set up a GoFundMe page to help with Waldrop’s medical expenses.