Woman Alleges Rape at Chicago Fraternity House While Men Cheered

A 21-year-old woman has alleged she was sexually assaulted at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house near the University of Chicago in the early hours of Sunday morning. According to a police report, the alleged attack occurred around 2 a.m. after the victim began feeling unwell and went to find a bathroom.

Witnesses told police they found a group of men outside the bathroom in the basement of the fraternity house, "cheering and appearing to encourage the activity inside," the report states. One witness, Mia Lara, 21, told The New York Times that the men were chanting remarks such as "When is it my turn?" and "I want to get in there."

Lara said she entered the bathroom and found her friend "not fully conscious" with her clothes pulled down. The victim reportedly told Lara to "make it stop" and "get me out of here."

When confronted, the suspect reportedly told the victim's friends that "everything was 'cool' as though nothing had occurred."

The University of Chicago chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi issued a statement saying none of its members were involved in the incident and that the chapter is "supporting the investigation to the fullest extent."

On Wednesday, the university announced that a person of interest had been identified in the case, though they have not been formally charged. The university stated that the suspect's identity was corroborated by witnesses and video evidence, including footage of the victim's friends pursuing a man down the street. The police report described the suspect as an Asian male, 5-foot-7-inches tall, wearing black clothing.

Authorities confirmed that neither the suspect nor the victim are affiliated with the University of Chicago.

Jonathan Pierce, a spokesman for the national Alpha Epsilon Pi organization, said the chapter "do not believe that any AEPi members were involved in this horrible act, nor were they complicit with it." He added that the University of Chicago has instructed the chapter not to hold any further events or programs during the ongoing investigation.

The incident occurs amid heightened scrutiny of safety and party culture within Greek life at U.S. colleges, following previous allegations of sexual assault at other university campuses.