Chicago police investigate reported sexual assault at University of Chicago fraternity house

A 21-year-old Chicago woman reported being sexually assaulted by a man at a fraternity house near the University of Chicago early Sunday, according to Chicago police.

The woman, who is not a student at the University of Chicago, reported the alleged assault around 1:50 a.m. during a party at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house, the school said.

The incident comes as colleges and universities face increased scrutiny over their handling of sexual assault cases, amid an investigation into an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity in 2024.

A person of interest, who is not a student or affiliated with the university, has been identified in connection with the incident and banned from campus, the university announced Tuesday.

Statements from key witnesses and video evidence corroborated the identification of the person of interest, the university said. No charges have been filed, the release said, adding that the university “is not at liberty to release the name of the person of interest.”

Chicago police told CNN that no one was in custody as of Tuesday afternoon.

In a previous alert, the university said witnesses described the suspect as a South Asian man, “5’7” tall with a dark complexion, short hair on the sides and longer, curly hair on top, wearing a black t-shirt, black sweatpants and white shoes. It is not yet clear whether the person in the case fits this description.

An initial review of security camera footage showed an individual matching that description running out of the home, the university said in its previous alert. The university also asked the community to assist in the ongoing investigation, saying one person intervened and the suspect fled the scene.

The University of Chicago Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter said “to our knowledge, no person affiliated with AEPi was involved or complicit in this incident.”

“We unequivocally condemn this violence. Our concern is above all for the injured person, whose privacy and dignity we ask everyone to respect.”

The brotherhood also said its members continue to work with authorities and provide any additional information as the investigation continues.

The victim went to the University of Chicago Hospital for treatment, Chicago police said.

The Chicago Police Department is leading the investigation, with support from the University of Chicago Police Department.

The University of Chicago called the reported assault “deeply concerning to the university community.”

“Although fraternities are not recognized student organizations at UChicago and therefore have no formal affiliation with the university, all students at the university are subject to the university’s disciplinary policies and procedures,” the university said in a statement.

“The University remains committed to addressing instances of sexual misconduct that occur, imposing necessary disciplinary consequences, and continually improving its efforts to prevent sexual misconduct.” »

The national Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity said in a statement that it “unconditionally opposes, and its terms of membership absolutely prohibit, any conduct considered ‘sexual harassment’ or ‘sexual assault,’ including ‘repeated propositioning, coercive pressure, unwanted touching, and physical violence.’

CNN’s Emma Tucker contributed to this report.