STUDENT FOUND DEAD AT SDSU FRATERNITY IDENITIFIED AS SANTEE RESIDENT

April 20, 2012 (San Diego) – The County Medical Examiner has identified Barzeen Barzanji, 20, a student from Santee as the man found dead this morning at a San Diego State University fraternity house. 

A 2009 graduate of West Hills High School, Barzanji planned to graduate next year from SDSU and worked as a waiter at P.F. Chang's restaurant, according to his Facebook page.

Campus police responded to a 9-1-1 call at the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity house at 8:30 this morning, where Barzanji was found unresponsive in a bed. Medics were called, but he could not be revived.

SDSU police are investigating the death of Barzanji, who was not a member of Phi Lappa Theta. He was, however, president of another fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, 10 News reports.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” said SDSU Police Chief John Browning. Police have not disclosed whether the death appeared to be from natural causes or foul play, though homicide detectives from San Diego Police have not been called in, according to ECM news partner 10 News. An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.

"Any loss of life in our community is tragic and I encourage each of you to support each other during this difficult time,” SDSU president Elliot Hirshman said in a prepared statement.

Early news reports indicated Barzanji was Iranian. However, an e-mail to ECM from a family friend stated, "He was a Kurd who took pride in being Kurdish...As a family friend and a part of the Kurdish community, we are all so proud of one of our own who was able to obtain such acomplishments in this life. I know he would want to be know as a kurd from Kurdistan."