By John Meylor
Henry Terhaar – (Courtesy of Boulder County Sheriff’s Office)
Following reports of an investigation and arrests regarding a sexual assault case on campus, CU Boulder Police Department (CUPD) spokesperson Christine Mahoney issued a statement to 1190 News regarding the status of the investigation. In the statement, Mahoney confirmed the arrest of student Henry Terhaar on April 1.
“Terhaar faces charges of sexual assault and first-degree assault, following an alleged incident on campus in December 2023,” Mahoney said.
Mahoney also stated that CUPD is unable to release further details regarding the case at this time due to the ongoing criminal investigation.
Mahoney went on to reaffirm CU’s commitment to addressing such cases while also respecting privacy laws.
“While CU Boulder cannot discuss specific cases because of privacy laws, all CU Boulder students are subject to university policies and those found responsible for policy violations are held accountable,” Mahoney said.
Furthermore, the statement emphasized the university’s dedication to impartiality in its investigations.
“CUPD is committed to ensuring that individuals’ identities/protected class are not considered the basis for suspicion; only the reported behaviors are taken into consideration when investigating a case,” Mahoney said.
According to the Daily Camera, who first reported on Terhaar’s arrest, Terhaar was released on a $50,000 personal bond on Monday, April 1, and is awaiting a formal filing of charges on Friday, April 5. This development comes amid ongoing efforts by universities across the nation to address the prevalence sexual assault on campuses. CU Boulder has seen an increase in reported sexual assault cases in the last 4 years. According to data from the CUPD, there were 20 sexual assaults reported in 2020, 28 in 2021 and 40 in 2022.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the CU Boulder community awaits further updates on the case, hoping for the university to honor its commitment to ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all students, staff and faculty.