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ASU

Knife-point robbery attempt on a campus mall repelled with pepper spray

AI-generated · every claim is source-linked
AZrobberytimely warninghigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

A contracted employee walking between Life Science buildings on ASU's Tempe campus was approached by an unknown man who pulled a knife and demanded the victim's backpack. The victim sprayed the suspect with pepper spray and fled. ASU Police issued a Clery Act timely warning with a suspect description. No arrest was made.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Arizona State University
Public R1 · AZ
All ASU cases →
~78,000 studentsLiveSafeASU Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how ASU says it will use ASU Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim873 chars
On March 29, 2024, ASU Police received a report of a Robbery that occurred earlier this week around 8:10 a.m. in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall. The victim was walking between the Life Science E wing and Life Science C wing when an unknown person approached the victim, pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim’s backpack. The victim sprayed the suspect with pepper spray and ran. The victim is a contracted employee working on campus. Use the LiveSafe mobile app or call the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456 if you have information about this incident. Dial 911 in an emergency. Case number: 2024-00854 Crime type: Robbery. Location: Tempe campus. Suspect known to victim: No. Suspect description: White male, about 6' 2" tall, thin build, wearing a dark blue trench coat. Suspect vehicle description: N/A. An arrest: Has not been made. Case is under investigation.
Timely warning format follows ASU's standard Clery template, header identifies the Clery Act authority
The robbery was reported days after it occurred ('earlier this week'), raising questions about the Clery Act's 'as soon as pertinent information is available' standard
Suspect description is notably detailed (height, build, clothing) which is unusual, many timely warnings omit physical descriptions to avoid profiling concerns
The victim's use of pepper spray to resist is included, unusual for a timely warning to note victim resistance, but serves as implicit safety messaging
LiveSafe app mentioned as a reporting channel alongside phone, reflects the shift to mobile-first safety infrastructure
2026-09-21 second deep audit b50 P4 a1-noledger-single-alert-public-case. Recapture official product at product boundary. Dual html.parser walk+regex. Cap-exempt R1.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude Opus 5.5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

On March 29, 2024, ASU Police received a report of a Robbery that occurred earlier this week around 8:10 a.m. in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall. The victim was walking between the Life Science E wing and Life Science C wing when an unknown person approached the victim, pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim’s backpack. The victim sprayed the suspect with pepper spray and ran. The victim is a contracted employee working on campus. Use the LiveSafe mobile app or call the ASU Police Department at 480-965-3456 if you have information about this incident. Dial 911 in an emergency. Case number: 2024-00854 Crime type: Robbery. Location: Tempe campus. Suspect known to victim: No. Suspect description: White male, about 6' 2" tall, thin build, wearing a dark blue trench coat. Suspect vehicle description: N/A. An arrest: Has not been made. Case is under investigation.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the source is present: the notice is framed around "ASU Police" receiving the report and gives the ASU Police Department number.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The notice is framed around 'ASU Police' receiving the report, naming the university police department as the authority.
    2. present: The notice states that "ASU Police received a report" and names the ASU Police Department, identifying the issuing agency.
    3. present: The message states 'ASU Police received a report', naming the police department as the issuing authority.
    4. present: The alert states that 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department number, identifying the issuing agency.
    5. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and lists the ASU Police Department number, naming the issuing agency.
    6. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report', naming the police department that is issuing this robbery warning.
    7. present: The notice states 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department number, identifying the issuing authority.
    8. present: The alert says "ASU Police received a report" and gives the ASU Police Department number, identifying the issuing agency.
    9. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department number, identifying the reporting agency.
    10. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and lists the ASU Police Department phone line, naming the issuing agency.
    11. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and lists the ASU Police Department phone number, identifying the responding authority.
    12. present: The notice states that 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department number, identifying the issuing agency.
    13. present: It opens with 'ASU Police received a report', naming the police agency responsible for issuing the notice.
    14. present: The alert states that 'ASU Police received a report', naming the police department as the reporting authority.
    15. present: The alert says "ASU Police received a report", naming the ASU Police Department as the reporting authority.
    16. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department number, identifying the issuing authority.
    17. present: The notice states that 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department number, identifying the issuing agency.
    18. present: The report says "ASU Police received a report" and lists the ASU Police Department phone number, identifying the responsible agency.
    19. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department phone number, naming the issuing agency.
    20. present: The text states that 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department phone number, naming the responsible agency.
    21. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department number, naming the responding agency as the source.
    22. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department phone number, identifying the responding authority.
    23. present: The notice says 'ASU Police received a report' and gives the ASU Police Department phone number, naming the issuing agency.
    24. present: The alert states that "ASU Police received a report" and gives the ASU Police Department number, naming the issuing agency.
    25. present: The notice states that 'ASU Police received a report' and lists the ASU Police Department phone number, naming the responding agency.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the hazard is named: a "Robbery" in which the suspect "pulled out a knife" and demanded a backpack.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific crime.
    2. present: It names a "Robbery" in which the suspect "pulled out a knife" and demanded a backpack, a specific crime threat.
    3. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack.
    4. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which a person 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific crime threat.
    5. present: It identifies a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim's backpack', a specific threat.
    6. present: It identifies a 'Robbery' in which an unknown person 'pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim's backpack', a specific crime threat.
    7. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which an unknown person 'pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim's backpack', a specific threat.
    8. present: It reports a robbery in which an unknown person "pulled out a knife" and demanded a backpack, a specific threat.
    9. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific crime hazard.
    10. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which a suspect 'pulled out a knife', a specific criminal threat.
    11. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim's backpack', a specific threat.
    12. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific crime threat.
    13. present: It identifies a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife', a specific crime threat.
    14. present: It names a robbery in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific crime.
    15. present: It names a "Robbery" in which an unknown person "pulled out a knife" and demanded a backpack.
    16. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which an unknown person 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific threat.
    17. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which an unknown person 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific crime threat.
    18. present: It names the crime as a "Robbery" in which a suspect "pulled out a knife" and demanded a backpack, a specific threat.
    19. present: It identifies a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific crime threat.
    20. present: It describes a robbery in which an unknown person 'pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim's backpack', a specific crime threat.
    21. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which a suspect 'pulled out a knife', which is a specific crime threat.
    22. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which an unknown person 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific threat.
    23. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'pulled out a knife' and demanded a backpack, a specific threat.
    24. present: It names a "Robbery" in which the suspect "pulled out a knife" and demanded a backpack, a specific crime threat.
    25. present: It names a 'Robbery' in which a person 'pulled out a knife, and demanded the victim's backpack', a specific criminal threat.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree location is specific: "the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall" between the Life Science wings on the Tempe campus.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It places the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between Life Science wings on the Tempe campus.
    2. present: It places the robbery "in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall" between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    3. present: It locates the crime at '400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science wings on the Tempe campus.
    4. present: It locates the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    5. present: It locates the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    6. present: It gives 'the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science wings and lists 'Tempe campus' as the location.
    7. present: It locates the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    8. present: The robbery is placed at "400 E. Tyler Mall" between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    9. present: It places the robbery at '400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    10. present: It locates the crime at '400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    11. present: It gives the place as 'the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between Life Science wings on the 'Tempe campus'.
    12. present: It places the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    13. present: It gives 'the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science wings on the Tempe campus as the location.
    14. present: It locates the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between Life Science wings on the Tempe campus.
    15. present: It locates the robbery at "400 E. Tyler Mall" between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    16. present: It locates the robbery at '400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    17. present: It gives the location as 'the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between Life Science wings on the Tempe campus.
    18. present: It locates the robbery "in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall" between Life Science wings on the Tempe campus.
    19. present: It places the robbery at '400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the 'Tempe campus'.
    20. present: It places the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    21. present: It gives '400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science wings on the 'Tempe campus', which is a precise location.
    22. present: It places the robbery 'in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between Life Science wings on the Tempe campus.
    23. present: It locates the robbery at '400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    24. present: It locates the robbery "in the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall" between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
    25. present: It gives the location as 'the area of 400 E. Tyler Mall' between the Life Science E and C wings on the Tempe campus.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree guidance is present: beyond the tip request, the notice tells readers to "Dial 911 in an emergency".

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Beyond the tip request, it tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency', an explicit protective instruction.
    2. present: It tells readers to "Dial 911 in an emergency" and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information.
    3. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call police with information.
    4. present: It tells readers to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information and to 'Dial 911 in an emergency'.
    5. present: It tells readers to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information and to 'Dial 911 in an emergency', an instruction to act.
    6. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information.
    7. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information, which is a direct instruction.
    8. present: Readers are told to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information and to "Dial 911 in an emergency".
    9. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police, which is an actionable instruction.
    10. present: It instructs readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information.
    11. present: It instructs readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information, which is a stated action.
    12. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information, which are actions for recipients.
    13. present: It instructs readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police, which is directed action for recipients.
    14. present: It instructs readers to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information and to 'Dial 911 in an emergency'.
    15. present: It instructs readers to "Dial 911 in an emergency" and to call ASU Police with information.
    16. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information.
    17. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police, which counts as an instruction to recipients.
    18. present: It tells readers to "Dial 911 in an emergency" and to call ASU Police with information, which counts as an instruction to recipients.
    19. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to call ASU Police with information, which is a stated action for recipients.
    20. present: It instructs readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information, which are actions for recipients.
    21. present: It tells readers to use LiveSafe or call police with information and to 'Dial 911 in an emergency', which is an instruction to recipients.
    22. present: Beyond the tip request, it tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency', a direct instruction for protective action.
    23. present: It directs readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information.
    24. present: It tells readers to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information and to "Dial 911 in an emergency," an explicit instruction.
    25. present: It tells readers to 'Dial 911 in an emergency' and to use LiveSafe or call ASU Police with information, which is an instruction to recipients.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree timing is present: it dates the report "March 29, 2024" and gives the incident time "around 8:10 a.m."

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It dates the report 'On March 29, 2024' and gives the incident time 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week.
    2. present: It dates the report "March 29, 2024" and says the robbery happened earlier that week "around 8:10 a.m."
    3. present: It dates the report 'March 29, 2024' and gives the incident time 'around 8:10 a.m.'.
    4. present: It dates the report 'On March 29, 2024' and gives an incident time of 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week.
    5. present: It dates the report 'March 29, 2024' and says the robbery happened 'earlier this week around 8:10 a.m.'.
    6. present: It dates the report to 'March 29, 2024' and places the robbery 'earlier this week around 8:10 a.m.'.
    7. present: It dates the report 'On March 29, 2024' and gives the robbery time 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week.
    8. present: It gives "March 29, 2024" as the report date and "around 8:10 a.m." as the incident time.
    9. present: It dates the report 'March 29, 2024' and says the robbery happened 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week.
    10. present: It dates the report to 'March 29, 2024' and gives the time of the robbery as 'around 8:10 a.m.'.
    11. present: It dates the report 'On March 29, 2024' and says the robbery occurred 'earlier this week around 8:10 a.m.'.
    12. present: It dates the report 'On March 29, 2024' and says the robbery happened earlier that week 'around 8:10 a.m.'.
    13. present: It dates the report 'March 29, 2024' and gives the robbery time as 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week.
    14. present: It dates the notice 'March 29, 2024' and gives the incident time 'around 8:10 a.m.'.
    15. present: It gives the report date "March 29, 2024" and the incident time "around 8:10 a.m."
    16. present: It gives the report date 'March 29, 2024' and an incident time of 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week.
    17. present: It dates the report 'March 29, 2024' and says the robbery happened 'earlier this week around 8:10 a.m.'
    18. present: It opens with "On March 29, 2024" and says the robbery happened "around 8:10 a.m." earlier that week.
    19. present: It dates the report 'On March 29, 2024' and gives the incident time 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week.
    20. present: It gives the report date 'March 29, 2024' and says the robbery happened earlier that week 'around 8:10 a.m.'
    21. present: It dates the report 'March 29, 2024' and the robbery 'around 8:10 a.m.' earlier that week, which conveys when it happened.
    22. present: It is dated 'March 29, 2024' and says the robbery occurred earlier that week around 8:10 a.m.
    23. present: It gives the report date 'March 29, 2024' and says the robbery happened 'earlier this week around 8:10 a.m.'
    24. present: It dates the report "March 29, 2024" and places the robbery "earlier this week around 8:10 a.m."
    25. present: It dates the report 'On March 29, 2024' and says the robbery occurred earlier that week 'around 8:10 a.m.', giving timing.
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree impact is absent: the knife robbery is described as an event, but nothing states the potential harm or severity to readers.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: The knife threat is described as an event, but no statement explains possible harm or severity for readers.
    2. absent: It describes the knife robbery but states no consequence or severity, such as injury risk or danger to others.
    3. absent: It recounts the robbery facts but never states what harm the suspect could cause or how severe the danger is.
    4. absent: Beyond describing the knife robbery itself, it never states any potential consequence or severity for others, such as danger or injury risk.
    5. absent: Beyond describing the knife and the demand, the notice states no consequence or severity such as injury risk or danger to others.
    6. absent: The robbery is described factually with a knife, but no statement explains the potential harm or seriousness of the threat to readers.
    7. absent: It describes the knife and pepper spray but never states the potential harm or severity to recipients, such as injury risk.
    8. absent: Aside from naming the knife robbery, the text states no consequence or severity such as injury or danger to others.
    9. absent: Although a knife is described, the notice never states the potential harm or severity to others beyond the facts of the robbery.
    10. absent: It describes the knife robbery itself but states no consequence or severity, such as injury risk or danger to others.
    11. absent: Although a knife was displayed, the text never states any injury, danger level, or consequence the robbery could have for others.
    12. absent: Although a knife was displayed, the alert does not state any potential injury or severity; it only narrates the victim spraying pepper spray and fleeing.
    13. absent: It recounts the knife demand and escape but never states potential harm or severity, such as danger or injury, to the community.
    14. absent: Although a knife is mentioned, the alert never states any injury, danger level, or potential consequence to the community.
    15. absent: It describes the robbery facts but never states resulting injury or how dangerous the suspect may be.
    16. absent: The text describes the knife robbery factually but never states a consequence or severity such as danger or potential injury to others.
    17. absent: It describes the knife robbery but never states a consequence or severity, such as injury, danger, or risk to others.
    18. absent: The knife is described, but the text never states any injury, danger level, or potential consequence for other community members.
    19. absent: Beyond describing the knife robbery, the notice does not state any potential harm or severity to the community.
    20. absent: Beyond noting a knife was displayed, the alert never states any injury risk or severity, so no potential consequence is conveyed to readers.
    21. absent: Although a knife was drawn, the text never states any injury, danger level, or possible consequence, so impact is not conveyed.
    22. absent: It describes the knife robbery but states no consequence or severity, such as injury risk or danger to others.
    23. absent: The knife robbery is described factually, but no wording conveys potential injury, danger level, or other consequences for readers.
    24. absent: Although a knife was shown, the notice never states any consequence or severity such as injury risk or danger to the community.
    25. absent: Although a knife was shown, the text never states any injury, danger, or potential consequence to readers, so impact is not conveyed.

Coded by Claude Opus 5.5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

ASU's Tempe campus is one of the largest in the nation by enrollment, and its urban setting along Apache Boulevard and University Drive creates a porous boundary between campus and the surrounding community. Tyler Mall is a central pedestrian corridor running through the heart of campus between academic buildings. Robberies on large urban campuses are among the most common triggers for Clery Act timely warnings, yet they receive far less attention than active shooters or bomb threats. This case is notable for the victim's successful self-defense with pepper spray, a detail ASU included in the timely warning, which implicitly endorses personal safety tools without explicitly recommending them. The delay between the incident (earlier in the week) and the timely warning (March 29) illustrates a common tension: the Clery Act requires timely notification, but investigation needs can delay reporting.
Analysis

Key Findings

Robbery timely warnings are among the most common Clery alerts at large urban campuses but rarely enter public discourse about campus safety
ASU included the victim's pepper spray defense in the alert, an implicit safety endorsement that goes beyond most institutions' neutral reporting tone
The multi-day delay between incident and timely warning highlights the tension between investigation needs and the Clery Act's timeliness requirement
The suspect description ('6'2", thin build, dark blue trench coat') is more detailed than typical, many institutions have moved away from physical descriptions in timely warnings
Outcome
Suspect not apprehended. Case under investigation by ASU Police Department. Victim was not physically injured.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
  2. Official
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Arizona State University: Knife-point robbery attempt on a campus mall repelled with pepper spray." Incident of March 29, 2024. Added April 2026; last updated September 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/arizona-state-university-robbery-2024-03-29/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
robberytimely-warningknifeself-defensepepper-sprayurban-campusproperty-crimearizonalivesafe-app
Added April 2026Updated September 2026Via ingestion