A “date-rape drug” was present in at least two of the nine University of Colorado female students who were sent to the hospital last month after drinking at parties, Boulder police said Thursday.
One woman was drugged with enough gamma hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, to threaten her life, Police Chief Mark Beckner said.
Authorities are waiting for test results from more of the women, but they said it was important to warn women throughout the community that this “frightening situation” had happened at least twice and could happen again.
“We believe that we had a duty to let the public know that there is this concern,” Beckner said. “Women have to be very careful when they are going to these parties that they know where they are getting their drinks.”
The finding of GHB dramatically changes the complexion of the night of Sept. 24, from one that raised concerns about excessive alcohol consumption to something more sinister, where someone intentionally tried to harm the students.
“This is a heinous act,” Boulder City Manager Frank Bruno said. “It may be that we have not had a problem with this in the past, but for me, one time is enough to be deeply concerned.”
The test also underscored the magnitude of several 911 calls that night on the women’s behalf. Four calls – including three from the Delta Gamma sorority house – were made beginning just after midnight. As the night wore on, several of the women told 911 operators they were concerned that their friends had been drugged.
Greek leaders had gathered a week before to promote alcohol awareness on the first anniversary of the death of Lynn “Gordie” Bailey, a fraternity pledge who died of alcohol poisoning.
“Now I know that the training we did the week before most definitely saved somebody’s life,” said Marc Stine, a spokesman for the fraternities in Boulder. “Because of (the women who called 911), we don’t have any dead children.”
But positive tests for a date- rape drug only heighten the scrutiny on the beleaguered Greek system in Boulder. Police officials said earlier that the women had attended at least one of two parties, at the Sigma Pi and Phi Kappa Tau fraternities, the night they were drugged.
Since police are still investigating, it is not clear where or when the women believe they were given GHB. Spokeswoman Julie Brooks said they do not believe the women knowingly took the drugs.
“My concern right now,” Stine said, “is that most people are going to assume that this is a fraternity man who did something at a fraternity party. And that is not in the police report.”
Stine said he would instruct fraternities and members to “cooperate with the police in every regard in their investigation.”
University officials promised that if a CU student is involved in drugging the women, that person will be held accountable.
“We are shocked and also concerned to learn that these women involved in the recent fraternity party could have been drugged,” said Ron Stump, CU vice chancellor for student affairs.
CU is matching Boulder County CrimeStoppers’ $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest, Stump said.
Drugging someone with GHB is a class-3 felony in Colorado.
GHB began showing up in the Denver area in 1998 at “rave” parties. Its effects can leave victims physically helpless and unable to remember what happened.
Delta Gamma president Erin Butner said her sorority was concerned about the close call.
“Everyone is really scared,” she said. “We have to increase our awareness everywhere we go. And that hit home today.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Boulder Police Department at 303-441-3333.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 720-929-0893 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
