Police investigating report of sexual assault at frat house near University of Chicago; person of interest identified

CHICAGO ( WGN ) – A person of interest has been identified in connection with a sexual assault that was reported early Sunday morning at a fraternity house near the University of Chicago campus, the school announced Tuesday in a community alert .

This person’s identity has been corroborated by witness statements and video evidence from university cameras and license plate readers, a spokesperson for the university said. All of this information has been shared with the Chicago Police Department, which is leading the investigation.

The individual is not a University of Chicago student or affiliated with the university and has been banned from campus, the school says. Since the investigation is ongoing and no charges have yet been filed, the identity of the person cannot be disclosed.

Chicago police say a 21-year-old woman — who the school later said is not affiliated with the university — reported to officers that she was sexually assaulted around 2 a.m. Sunday by a male offender inside a residence in the 5600 block of South University Avenue, in Hyde Park on Chicago’s South Side.

The Chicago Maroon , the university’s independent student-run newspaper, first reported that the alleged assault occurred at the house of the Lambda chapter of the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity.

The Chicago Tribune citing the CPD’s report on the incident, reported that the victim had attended a party at the frat house, where the male suspect approached and asked her to come with him to a bedroom. She declined, but later went to the bathroom after she “began feeling unwell,” the report says. The victim said she lost consciousness in the bathroom, but not before seeing the man follow her into the room. When she woke up, she said some of her clothing had been removed, and she told police she was sexually assaulted, according to the report.

The report also says witnesses observed a group of people standing outside the bathroom door cheering during the alleged assault.

A university spokesperson said the suspect fled when someone intervened. A community alert was then sent to students Sunday saying the sexual assault was reported to CPD and the University of Chicago Police Department.

The spokesperson also said that “while fraternities are not recognized student organizations at UChicago and thus have no formal affiliation with the university, all university students are subject to university policies and disciplinary procedures. The university remains committed to addressing sexual misconduct cases that occur, to imposing disciplinary consequences as warranted, and to continually improving efforts to prevent sexual misconduct.”

In a statement provided to Nexstar’s WGN , a spokesperson for AEPi’s national organization said the fraternity’s headquarters became aware of the incident Sunday afternoon and is cooperating with university administration and local law enforcement on their investigations.

“Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity unconditionally opposes, and its conditions of membership absolutely prohibit, any conduct considered as ‘sexual harassment’ or ‘sexual assault,'” the spokesperson said, in part. “This includes such behaviors as repeated propositioning, coercive pressure, unwanted touching and physical violence.”

The spokesperson also said that AEPi has “a responsibility to protect each other, our guests and our community at all times.”

“We must continue to work to uphold that value and ensure that those inside and outside of our organization are made to feel safe. Every AEPi member receives mandatory training on these standards, which staff and volunteers reinforce through chapter visits and national and regional events. Violations may lead to expulsion. AEPi staff and volunteers provide the same oversight and support to chapters whether or not their universities recognize them,” reads the statement.

The police investigation comes amid backlash against Cornell University over its handling of an alleged gang rape at a frat house in 2024.