At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after it was revealed that a racial slur had been carved on a student’s body, officials said.

Authorities had received “an extremely disturbing report that a student had a racial slur carved into his face using a plastic or ceramic tool,” officials at the liberal arts school said in a statement last week.

“This is a serious report that is being actively evaluated as part of the student conduct process,” the college said. “At this time, the students involved are not participating in swim team activities.”

Citing the investigation and data protection laws, the school declined to provide further details.

Last week, however, a family of the victim contacted the Gettysburgian to provide more details. They said the student had the N-word cut into her chest by someone she “trusted.” The victim’s family says they consider the incident a hate crime. They also said the victim was the only person of color at the scene.

“The reprehensible act was committed by a fellow student he considered a friend and trusted. This student used a box cutter to carve the N-word into his chest,” the family told the Gettysburgian.

They added: “As we wait to discuss the decisions of the college staff, the damage continues without much relief. The media (social, online, and broadcast) continues to spread misinformation based on an act of racial animosity. In the same way, the isolation that comes with being isolated from many members of the Gettysburg College community he trusted only exacerbates the damage.”

“We want to make it clear that we understand that an investigation should not be rushed. We support a fair and thorough investigation. To that end, we appreciate the standardized procedures and protocols that are in place. We know they are intended to ensure that the rights and responsibilities of all involved are upheld and protected.”

Gettysburg College President Robert Iuliano said he was “deeply saddened by what has happened” and by the consequences “for a community that continues its efforts to create a truly inclusive environment.”

“Regardless of the relationship and regardless of the motivation, there is no place on this campus for words or actions that demean, degrade or exclude a person because of their identity and history,” he said in a statement, also warning against speculation “based on fragments of information that may or may not be accurate.”

City Police Chief Robert Glenny Jr. said he contacted the college after news reports emerged and learned that the victim chose to handle the matter through the college’s internal process, even though college officials had advised the person to report the matter to police, WGAL-TV reported.