UA police investigate after rape reported

FAYETTEVILLE — A 19-year-old student at the University of Arkansas told police she was raped at a campus residence hall.

Police are investigating the student’s report she was raped about 2 a.m. on Sunday at the Maple Hill South residence hall, Capt. Gary Crain said.

No arrest has been made, but police have been in contact with an alleged suspect who is an 18-year-old UA student, Crain said. The rape was reported to police on Tuesday.

For all of 2019, there were 11 rapes reported as occurring in either UA-owned campus property or other UA-affiliated sites that include fraternal organization properties not owned by the university.

Before the most recent report, Crain said campus police hadn’t received a report of rape since January of last year.

Many students left campus in March when classes switched to online-only soon after the first reports of covid-19 in the state. Students returned to in-person classes this fall, but over half of course sections are still being taught remotely this spring, according to UA. Residence halls also had fewer students than in 2019, according to fall data from UA, with spring totals not yet available.

Crain said that on campus there’s “not near as much social activity” because of covid-19 guidelines.