Woman assaulted inside Athens bar bathroom, police say

The Brief An Athens sexual assault investigation is underway after a woman reported three men attacked her inside a bar restroom. Barrow County authorities contacted Athens-Clarke County police early Sunday morning after the 20-year-old victim sought medical care at an area hospital. The victim reported a man in a Joker costume grabbed her and dragged her to a restroom where two others waited. ATHENS, Ga. - Police are investigating after a 20-year-old woman reported three men sexually assaulted and robbed her inside an Athens bar restroom during a Halloween weekend event. Athens bar sexual assault What we know: A 20-year-old woman told Barrow County deputies she was attacked while attending a Halloween-themed gathering at Duke's & Dotties located at the corner of E. Broad Street and Jackson Street in Athens between 11 p.m. Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday. She danced with a man wearing a Joker costume who offered her a drink, which she refused, according to the incident report. As she walked toward the bar counter, the man grabbed her arm and dragged her into a restroom where two other men waited. All three men assaulted her before leaving the area, according to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department report. The primary suspect wore a Joker mask and is described as a white man. The two other men are described as Hispanic. Stolen items and response Dig deeper: The men took the woman's $100 purse along with her $800 iPhone 16+ that was inside, according to police records. She searched for the phone with employee help but did not find it, and she did not initially disclose the attack to staff. A friend drove the woman to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Barrow County, where Barrow County deputies met with her around 4 a.m. Sunday. Barrow County authorities then notified Athens-Clarke County police, who contacted the Criminal Investigations Division and The Cottage sexual assault center. Unanswered questions in case What we don't know: Investigators have not released the identities of the three men. Police have not announced any arrests or stated whether surveillance footage from the bar is available. The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Athens-Clarke County Police Department incident reports, which detailed initial officer interviews and statements provided to Barrow County deputies. Athens-Clarke County News Crime and Public Safety