A sorority member at the University of Arizona reported that two men sexually assaulted her at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house on August 26. According to search warrant records obtained by KOLD-TV in Tucson, the woman told police she remembered drinking tequila and witnessing the assault but did not recall agreeing to sex. She described waking up the next morning without pants or underwear and experiencing difficulty swallowing, a potential indicator of strangulation.
The victim contacted the university police department later that day and underwent a forensic exam at a hospital. In a phone call recorded two days later, one of the accused men admitted to having sex with her but claimed she had consented. He denied the presence of the second man and described his memory of the night as "fuzzy" due to intoxication, adding that video footage showed the pair kissing in a bathroom.
This allegation lands in a fragile environment for Greek life at the university. The University of Arizona had suspended 21 fraternities in late August over misconduct reports, including hazing and drug use. While most suspensions were lifted after mandatory meetings with the dean, Sigma Phi Epsilon remains on probation from July until May next year following a separate hazing complaint. The timing of this new report intensifies scrutiny on the institution's handling of fraternity culture.
Brian Warren, CEO of Sigma Phi Epsilon, stated that the national organization has suspended the involved members while cooperating with law enforcement. "Any member found responsible will be expelled," Warren said in a statement, emphasizing that retaliation against the alleged victim or witnesses is strictly forbidden.
The University of Arizona police department told the Associated Press that the investigation is ongoing and declined to confirm whether any arrests have been made. The Pima County Attorney’s Office has not yet received the case for prosecution. This incident follows a wave of similar allegations at elite institutions, including the ongoing "Cornell 7" case, which has triggered state investigations and campus-wide protests.