Police Will Investigate Alleged Rape Of Missouri Swimmer

Following a report published last week by ESPN's Outside the Lines that detailed the alleged rape and subsequent suicide of former University of Missouri swimmer Sasha Menu Courey, the Columbia, Mo., police department has opened an investigation into the alleged attack.

The Columbia police department decided to open the investigation today, after receiving relevant information from the campus police department. According to a statement released on Sunday by the university, most of that information seems to have come from the OTL report:

As a result of information that first came to the University of Missouri's attention in a Friday, January 24th report by ESPN's Outside the Lines program related to former student-athlete Sasha Menu Courey, the MU Police Department submitted information to the Columbia Police Department (CPD) on the evening of Saturday, January 25th. This information from ESPN's story included names of individuals who might have relevant information regarding the alleged February 2010 assault.

After review of this new information which was previously unavailable to MU, it was determined that the alleged assault occurred off campus, and therefore lies within the jurisdiction of CPD. The university will assist CPD in any way possible as they conduct their investigation.

OTL's original report claimed that at least six campus medical officials and an athletic department staffer were aware of the alleged incident before Menu Courey's suicide, and that a Columbia Daily Tribune which mentioned the alleged rape had been sent to the university in February of 2012.

[ OTL]