A University of Arizona sorority member reported to campus police that two men sexually assaulted her inside the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house during a night of drinking in late August.
The student, whose name has not been released, told investigators she had consumed tequila at the house on Aug. 26, including sharing a cup with friends. She recalled witnessing the assault, feeling one man’s breath on her face, and waking the next morning without her pants or underwear. She also noted difficulty swallowing, which she feared could indicate strangulation, according to search warrant records made public Monday night by KOLD-TV in Tucson.
The woman told police she had consensually kissed one of the men at some point during the evening but did not remember agreeing to intercourse. She reported the allegations to police later that day and underwent a forensic examination at a hospital.
Two days after the encounter, one of the accused men spoke with the woman in a recorded call. He acknowledged having sex with her but claimed she had agreed to it, and he denied that a second man had also had sex with her. He told her he had been drunk and “fuzzy” on details of what happened. He also mentioned that people had taken video of the two of them kissing in a bathroom.
The University of Arizona Police Department said Tuesday that the investigation remains ongoing and declined to say whether any arrests have been made. The Pima County Attorney’s Office confirmed the case has not yet been referred for prosecution.
The allegations emerged two weeks after the university suspended activities for all 21 of its fraternities amid reports of misconduct including assault, hazing, and drug- and alcohol-related behavior. Most of those suspensions have since been lifted after mandatory meetings with the dean of students. Sigma Phi Epsilon, however, was already on university probation from July through May of next year due to a prior hazing complaint. The fraternity is not currently among the five chapters still listed as suspended.
Brian Warren, chief executive officer of the national Sigma Phi Epsilon organization, issued a statement addressing the incident. “The Fraternity has suspended those involved while the investigation proceeds,” he wrote. “Any member found responsible will be expelled from Sigma Phi Epsilon, and we will cooperate fully with law enforcement as it seeks accountability under the law,” Warren added that retaliation against the alleged victim or any witnesses would not be tolerated.
The case comes amid heightened national attention to sexual assault allegations at fraternity houses across multiple universities. At Cornell University, a former student has alleged that multiple Chi Phi fraternity members sexually assaulted her in October 2024, prompting campus protests, scrutiny of disciplinary procedures, and a state investigation. Several accused men have denied engaging in nonconsensual sex or touching the woman at all. Separately, a woman identified in court records as Jane Doe sued Alpha Delta Phi and its Chicago chapter this week, alleging she was raped by a member during a February party at the University of Chicago. Chicago police confirmed they are investigating a sexual assault report from the same block early on Feb. 8. The university and fraternity did not respond to requests for comment. Another investigation continues into a woman’s report of sexual assault during a party at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house at the same university earlier this month; that fraternity stated none of its members participated in the alleged attack.