Sexual assault report, May 8, 2024
AI-generated · every claim is source-linkedJust after 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Montana State University Police received a report of a sexual assault that had occurred outside a residential building within MSU's University Student Apartments. An unknown male wearing all black grabbed and groped the victim before fleeing on foot. MSU issued a Clery timely warning describing the suspect and asking the community to call Bozeman Police Detective Sergeant Joseph Swanson or Crimestoppers. The suspect was later identified, trespassed from campus, and cited for assault and attempted surreptitious observation.
- Alerts
- 1
- Response
- —
- Killed
- 0
- Injured
- 1
Alert Sequence
1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim
How the first alert is built
To check this alert, Claude (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.
Timely Warning: Sexual Assault This Timely Warning is being issued in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). The purpose is to provide preventative information to the campus community to aid members from becoming the victim of a similar crime. Earlier today, Montana State University Police received a report of sexual assault that occurred outside of a residential building within University Student Apartments on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, just after 5:00 p.m. Though limited information is available, the unknown suspect was said to be a male wearing all black and fled on foot after grabbing and groping the victim. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact University Police at (406) 994-2121. Montana State University’s top priority is the safety and wellbeing of all members of the campus community, and we encourage you to consider the following: • Sexual assault is never the fault of the survivor. Responsibility lies with the perpetrator. No one deserves, asks for, or provokes sexual assault. • If you are uncomfortable walking alone call MSU Police for a Safety Escort at 406-994-2121. • Consider using the Friend Walk feature in the SafeCats app that allows users to share their location with someone they trust, who can then watch to make sure they arrive at their destination safely. • The MSU VOICE Center offers resources and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. Advocates can be reached 24/7 via call or text at 406.944.7069. The Office of Institutional Equity and MSU VOICE Center provide resources and reporting options for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Reports to law enforcement can be made anonymously using the Silent Witness program, accessible through the SafeCats app, or by emailing silentwitness@montana.edu. MSU’s Office of Counseling Psychological Services can also provide resources and services for victims of relationship violence or stalking.
Sourceabsent0/0
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.
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Hazardabsent0/0
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.
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Locationabsent0/0
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.
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Guidanceabsent0/0
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.
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Timeabsent0/0
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.
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Impactabsent0/0
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.
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Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.
About this analysisBackground
Key Findings
Sources
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Campus Alert Archive. "Montana State University: Sexual assault report, May 8, 2024." Incident of May 8, 2024. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/msu-bozeman-student-apartments-sexual-assault-2024-05-08/
Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.