Suspect in sexual assault at UChicago frat party identified and banned from campus after braying crowd applauds him

The University of Chicago has identified a person of interest after a man allegedly sexually assaulted a woman at a rowdy fraternity party near the elite university’s campus as a screaming crowd cheered him on.

“A person of interest has been identified in connection with the reported sexual assault that occurred at a fraternity house near campus on the morning of October 11,” the college said in a notification to students Tuesday. “The individual is not a University of Chicago student or affiliated with the University. The University has barred him from campus.”

But because the Chicago Police Department is actively investigating and no charges have been filed, “the university is not at liberty to release the individual’s name,” the statement said.

The alleged attacker was locked in a bathroom with the victim at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house near Hyde Park on the college campus early Sunday morning, according to a New York Times report, citing the victim’s friend, 21-year-old Mia Lara.

Lara said she lost track of the victim after they danced in the basement and her friend started kissing a man.

Lara searched for the friend and eventually found herself in front of a bathroom where a group of men were clapping at the door with statements such as “when is it my turn” and “I want to go,” she claimed.

Lara claimed she entered the bathroom and found her friend with her clothes pulled down and her wrists being held by the man she had kissed as she said, “Stop it” and “Get me out of here.”

The concerned friend chased the man, confronting him outside the house about the alleged attack and he allegedly responded: “She wanted it.”

The college said it has no official affiliation with Greek life, but groups must still follow school rules.

A spokesperson for the fraternity’s national organization said the suspect was not one of the chapter’s members.

Jonathan Pierce told the Post: “There is no evidence that any AEPi members participated in this assault or had any knowledge of it while it was occurring. (There was a story that there were people outside a door ‘encouraging’ the attack and we do not believe any of those people were AEPi members).”

“We are pleased that the alleged attacker has been identified and hope that the victim can find some comfort in knowing that justice is being served,” he added.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.