A 21-year-old woman has reported a sexual assault at a fraternity house near the University of Chicago. The alleged incident took place early Sunday at an off-campus home linked to Alpha Epsilon Pi.
The case has raised fresh concerns about safety at college parties. Fraternities across the United States face growing calls to prevent sexual violence, hazing, and other forms of misconduct.
The incident was reported at about 1.50am on Sunday, according to the university’s daily crime log. Police are still looking into the case. No one had been taken into custody as of Wednesday afternoon.
A police report said the woman told officers she was not fully conscious when she was found in a bathroom with a man. Both were partly undressed, according to the report.
The woman also told police that a group had first stopped her friends from entering the bathroom. The report does not state why the group blocked them.
University officials said they had identified a person of interest in the case. The individual is not a student at the university and has been barred from campus, officials said in a notice issued on Wednesday.
The ban does not mean the person has been charged with a crime. Police have not announced an arrest, and the investigation remains open.
A spokesperson for Alpha Epsilon Pi said on Wednesday that there was no evidence that members of the fraternity took part in the alleged assault or knew about it.
Jonathan Pierce, the fraternity’s spokesperson, said several members had served as sober monitors during the party. The chapter’s safety officer was among them, he said.
Pierce said fraternity members offered help after learning about the woman’s report. They gave her food and water and lent her a shirt because she said she was cold while waiting outside for emergency workers.
The spokesperson also welcomed the news that police had identified a person of interest. He said he hoped the woman would find some comfort as the case moved forward.
Police have not released further details about the alleged assault. The investigation will seek to establish what happened at the house and whether anyone else was involved.
The case comes as colleges face renewed pressure to deal with sexual misconduct linked to fraternity life. Critics say schools must act quickly when serious allegations arise and ensure that students can report harm without fear.
A reported gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity house in 2024 has also drawn fresh attention. News of the alleged attack led to strong public criticism of the university’s response and its handling of the people accused.
New York state prosecutors have reopened an investigation into the Cornell case. The move has added to calls for a closer review of campus safety rules and the way schools handle reports of sexual violence.
Cornell has also suspended all fraternity parties for the rest of the academic year. The university said the pause would give it time to review safety in its Greek societies.
The University of Arizona took a similar step last week. It halted all fraternity activity after several allegations of hazing and physical assault.
The claims included reports that members of a Greek group had pressured new recruits to drink large amounts of alcohol and swallow live goldfish. The allegations have added to wider concerns about dangerous initiation practices at college fraternities.
These cases have renewed debate over how universities should oversee student groups that hold parties away from campus. Many fraternity houses operate outside university property, which can make safety checks and discipline more complex.
Schools may still bar people from campus, suspend student groups, or change rules for university events. Police, however, handle criminal investigations and decide whether the evidence supports charges.
In Chicago, the investigation into the reported assault remains ongoing. Officials have not announced any charges, and the person of interest has not been publicly identified.
The case is likely to keep attention on fraternity safety as universities review their rules and responses to misconduct reports. For now, police have not shared a timeline for the next steps in the investigation.
