Police Investigate Alleged Assault of Duke Student

Durham, N.C. — Durham police are investigating an alleged sexual assault of a Duke University student at an off-campus party early Sunday morning.

According to investigators, the 18-year-old woman told officers she was at the party in the 400 block of Gattis St. around 3 a.m. when she was allegedly raped in the bathroom. There were at least 50 people at the party at the time, police said.

A neighbor told WRAL that Duke and Durham police broke up the party at about the same time as the alleged attack. Sources told WRAL that authorities found drugs and possibly a gun inside the residence.

Duke Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta released a statement Sunday saying that the university is providing support to the woman and that school officials are very concerned about reports that Duke students were among those attending the party.

Moneta also pledged cooperation with Durham police in the investigation.

The home on Gattis Street is less than a mile away from where a woman claims she was assaulted last March by members of the Duke lacrosse team last March.

No charges have been filed at this time. Anyone with information related to the alleged attack is asked to call Durham CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200.

47 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 47 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments.

Latest Comments

The NAACP, Al and Jesse... why were there ever a need for such organizations and people in the first place? Racism and socialism hasn't simply up and disappeared as we all would hope. No; they must continue to actively voice and showcase a presence to ensure that justice and the law prevails. The NAACP, Al and Jesse wanted to ensure that the rape claim was going to receive the attention it deserved and not be ignored or "filed away" without an investigation. Even though the accuser is now making herself more and more incriminating as time goes by; the case is going to court. But also look at how DA Nifong has reacted with the investigation... the DNA results, the physical evidence, the tampering... I suppose that's the NAACP, Al's and Jesse's fault as well? But historically, blacks have always faced those same "isms". Even with evidence supporting innocence, the DA, courts, juries still convict. Why are so many blacks now being released from prison from new DNA evidence?

shoyaryt
February 13, 2007 10:40 a.m.

roseyk00 -at- yahoo -dot- com I Don't Beleive White America Has A Problem With Black Supporters. I Think The Problem Lies With The Agression They Bring With Them And The Anti-White Messages They Send Out. As One Reader Said, They Seem To Only Show Support If The "Victim Is black". If The Rapist Was Black Or The Accuser Was White They Would Have No Interest In A Story Like This. I Tend To Agree.

Sherlockholmes
February 12, 2007 7:35 p.m.

I didnt see race mentioned anywhere in this article. I have the right to party at wee hours in the morning and not get raped or robbed or anything. Women get raped at all hours of day..everyday. I hope they catch this criminal. And I agree with whoever wrote that the Duke Lacrosse story should NOT have been mentioned...there was no reason for it.

Munchie
February 12, 2007 4:42 p.m.

Why does the editorial staff have to approve comments on some topics and not others?

DOG
February 12, 2007 4:38 p.m.

What possible purpose could be served by reporting that this incident happened less than a mile from the alleged rape case involving the Duke lacrosse team last March? Given that these two incidents are totally unrelated, why try to "spin" them together at the expense of Durham and Duke University? Sensationalism at its finest!

wafuphantom
February 12, 2007 4:34 p.m.