The unidentified man is not affiliated with the university and has been banned from campus as Chicago police continue investigating.
CHICAGO, IL — University of Chicago officials have identified a person of interest in the reported sexual assault of a 21-year-old woman during a fraternity party near campus, saying witness accounts and surveillance evidence helped corroborate the identification.
The university said the man is not a student and has no affiliation with the school. His name has not been released because no charges have been filed. University officials said he has been banned from campus while the Chicago Police Department continues its investigation. Police said no one was in custody as of Wednesday.
The woman, who also is not affiliated with the university, reported that she was sexually assaulted at about 1:50 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11, during a party at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at 5625 S. University Ave. in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. The house sits across from the University of Chicago’s main campus.
According to an initial university community alert, the woman did not know the man she accused. Someone intervened during the incident, and the man fled the fraternity house, the university said. Cameras in the area recorded a person matching the description of the suspect running from the address shortly afterward.
The university later said the person of interest was identified through information provided after the public alert. Officials said key witness statements, university camera footage and records from license plate readers supported the identification. The Department of Safety & Security turned that material over to Chicago police.
A police report obtained by local news organizations provided additional allegations about what happened inside the house. The woman told investigators that she began feeling unwell while at the party and later went into a bathroom. She alleged that the man followed her and sexually assaulted her. Two friends told police they eventually forced their way into the bathroom and intervened. The allegations in the police report have not been tested in court, and no criminal charges had been announced as of Thursday.
A University of Chicago police officer who was patrolling the area was flagged down after the incident, according to the university. University police arranged for the woman to be taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and contacted the Chicago Police Department. The university has not publicly identified the woman.
Alpha Epsilon Pi has said it is cooperating with investigators. The fraternity’s national organization has said it does not believe chapter members were involved or complicit in the reported assault. The chapter has also been directed not to hold events or programs while the investigation continues. Fraternities at the University of Chicago are not formally recognized as university student organizations, though university students who belong to them remain subject to school conduct policies.
The university said it is also reviewing whether university policies were violated and could begin disciplinary proceedings if warranted. Officials said they notified Alpha Epsilon Pi’s national office and will continue working with Chicago police as investigators review the evidence.
Chicago police said the investigation remains ongoing. The university has not released the person of interest’s identity, and authorities had announced no arrest or criminal charge in the case as of Oct. 15.
Author note: Last updated October 15, 2026.