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Timely warning after an attempted kidnapping reported inside a campus building

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At approximately 3:50 PM PST on November 16, 2021, an attempted kidnap was reported in the R Building, third floor, at Pasadena City College's main campus. The suspect was described as a disheveled white male in his 30s with a thin build, acne, and a shaved head. PCC Campus Police issued Timely Warning bulletin DR #2021-00129 and requested public assistance identifying the suspect. No arrest was publicly reported.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Pasadena City College
Community College · CA
All PCC cases →
~25,000 students
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTWebsite
Verified verbatimPCC Campus Police Official Timely Warning Bulletin DR #2021-00129596 chars
TIMELY WARNING - ATTEMPTED KIDNAP: On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM, Pasadena City College Campus Police responded to a report of an attempted kidnap in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus. The suspect is described as a White male in his 30s, approximately 5'8", thin build, acne on his face, shaved head, appeared dirty and wearing disheveled clothing, possibly a transient. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call Campus Police at 626-585-7484 or call 9-1-1 from any emergency call box on campus. (DR #2021-00129)
Verbatim from the official PCC Campus Police timely warning bulletin, case number DR #2021-00129, posted to the PCC Police and College Safety website
The R Building is a classroom building on PCC's main campus at 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, California; the incident occurred in a classroom corridor during afternoon instructional hours when the campus was populated
The description 'possibly a transient' reflects a common campus safety classification that may indicate the suspect was not affiliated with the institution; this terminology has been critiqued in campus safety literature as potentially stigmatizing but is historically standard in official bulletins
Message elements

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 - ATTEMPTED KIDNAP: On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM, Pasadena City College Campus Police responded to a report of an attempted kidnap in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus. The suspect is described as a White male in his 30s, approximately 5'8", thin build, acne on his face, shaved head, appeared dirty and wearing disheveled clothing, possibly a transient. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call Campus Police at 626-585-7484 or call 9-1-1 from any emergency call box on campus. (DR #2021-00129)

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that the source is present; the alert names Pasadena City College Campus Police as the issuing authority.

    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: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    2. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the issuing authority.
    3. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the issuing authority.
    4. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    5. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding authority.
    6. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    7. present: "Pasadena City College Campus Police" is named as the responding authority.
    8. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", identifying the sender.
    9. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding authority.
    10. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding authority.
    11. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    12. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", a responding authority.
    13. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding and issuing authority.
    14. present: "Pasadena City College Campus Police" is named as the responding authority.
    15. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding authority.
    16. present: "Pasadena City College Campus Police" identifies the issuing authority.
    17. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding authority.
    18. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    19. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    20. present: The text identifies "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    21. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding authority.
    22. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", identifying issuer and agency.
    23. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police" as the responding authority.
    24. present: "Pasadena City College Campus Police" identifies the issuing authority.
    25. present: It names "Pasadena City College Campus Police", the responding authority.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All reads agree the hazard is present; an attempted kidnap is named as the specific threat.

    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 an "ATTEMPTED KIDNAP", a specific threat.
    2. present: It names "ATTEMPTED KIDNAP", a specific hazard.
    3. present: It names "an attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    4. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    5. present: It names "an attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    6. present: It names "ATTEMPTED KIDNAP", a specific threat.
    7. present: It names "an attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    8. present: It names "ATTEMPTED KIDNAP", a specific crime hazard.
    9. present: It names "an attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    10. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific crime.
    11. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    12. present: It names "ATTEMPTED KIDNAP", a specific hazard.
    13. present: It names "an attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    14. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    15. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    16. present: It names an "ATTEMPTED KIDNAP", a specific hazard.
    17. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific hazard.
    18. present: It names an "attempted kidnap," a specific crime hazard.
    19. present: It names "an attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    20. present: It names the hazard: "an attempted kidnap".
    21. present: It names "ATTEMPTED KIDNAP", a specific hazard.
    22. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific threat.
    23. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific hazard.
    24. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific crime hazard.
    25. present: It names an "attempted kidnap", a specific hazard.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that location is present; the message cites the R Building third floor at the PCC Main 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 says "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific location.
    2. present: It cites "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    3. present: It cites "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific location.
    4. present: It specifies "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus".
    5. present: It says "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    6. present: It says "in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    7. present: It locates it "in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", specific places.
    8. present: It names "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    9. present: It cites "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    10. present: It says "in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    11. present: It specifies "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    12. present: It cites "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific location.
    13. present: It cites "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific location.
    14. present: It locates it "in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus".
    15. present: It cites "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    16. present: It locates it "in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus".
    17. present: It specifies "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a precise location.
    18. present: It cites "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus," a specific place.
    19. present: It locates it "in front of a classroom in the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus".
    20. present: It specifies "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus".
    21. present: It says "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    22. present: It names "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific place.
    23. present: It names "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a specific location.
    24. present: It specifies "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a precise location.
    25. present: It specifies "the R Building on the third floor at the PCC Main Campus", a precise location.
  • Guidancepresent24/25

    Final assessment

    Near-unanimous that guidance is present; anyone with information is asked to call Campus Police or 911, with one read calling that an info request rather than protective guidance.

    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. absent: It asks anyone with information to call police but gives no protective action to recipients.
    2. present: It asks anyone with information "to call Campus Police", a protective instruction.
    3. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or 911, an action for recipients.
    4. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "911".
    5. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "9-1-1", a directed action.
    6. present: It asks anyone with information "to call Campus Police", a directed action.
    7. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", a directed action.
    8. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1".
    9. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", directed actions.
    10. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", an instruction to recipients.
    11. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", a protective action.
    12. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or 911, an instruction to recipients.
    13. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", a recipient action.
    14. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "9-1-1", an instruction to recipients.
    15. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or 911, a recipient instruction.
    16. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or 911, an instruction to recipients.
    17. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "9-1-1", a recipient instruction.
    18. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "9-1-1," a directed action.
    19. present: It asks anyone with information "to call Campus Police" or "9-1-1", an action for recipients.
    20. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "9-1-1".
    21. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or 911, an instruction to recipients.
    22. present: It instructs anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or 911.
    23. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", an action directed at recipients.
    24. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", an action to recipients.
    25. present: It asks anyone with information to "call Campus Police" or "call 9-1-1", an action for recipients.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that timing is present; the alert states on November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM.

    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 says "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a date/time cue.
    2. present: It states "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a date and clock time.
    3. present: It states "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a clock time and date.
    4. present: It states "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM".
    5. present: It states the time "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", conveying when.
    6. present: It cites "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a date and time.
    7. present: It cites "November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific time and date.
    8. present: It cites "November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific date and time.
    9. present: It states "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a date and clock time.
    10. present: It says "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific date and time.
    11. present: It dates and times it "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM".
    12. present: It cites "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a clock time and date.
    13. present: It dates the incident to "November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a clock time and date.
    14. present: "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM" gives a date and clock time.
    15. present: It cites "November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific date and time.
    16. present: It gives "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a date and clock time.
    17. present: It cites "November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a date and clock time.
    18. present: It cites "November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM," a date and clock time.
    19. present: It states "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a date and clock time.
    20. present: It gives timing: "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM".
    21. present: It says "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific date and time.
    22. present: It gives the time "approximately 3:50 PM" on "November 16, 2021."
    23. present: It says the incident occurred "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific date and time.
    24. present: It states "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific date and time.
    25. present: It says "On November 16, 2021, at approximately 3:50 PM", a specific date and time.
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present by unanimous agreement. The notice describes an attempted kidnap of a person, a stated attempted harm against a victim beyond merely naming a crime.

    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. present: An attempted kidnap of a person is described, a stated harm to a person.
    2. present: Describes an attempted kidnap, an explicit attempted harm to a person.
    3. present: Describes an attempted kidnap of a person, a stated attempted harm to an individual.
    4. present: Describes an attempted kidnap, an explicit attempted harm to a person.
    5. present: It describes an attempted kidnap in front of a classroom, conveying an attempt to abduct a victim.
    6. present: It describes an attempted kidnap, a stated attempted harm to a person.
    7. present: Describes an attempted kidnap of a person, a clearly stated attempted harm to people.
    8. present: Reports an attempted kidnap, a stated attempt to harm a person.
    9. present: Describes an attempted kidnap with a suspect description, a stated attempted harm against a person.
    10. present: The text reports an attempted kidnap, a stated attempted harm to a person.
    11. present: It reports an attempted kidnap of a victim, a stated harm involving an abduction attempt.
    12. present: Describes an attempted kidnap, a clearly stated attempted harm to a person.
    13. present: It reports an attempted kidnap, a clear harm attempt on a person.
    14. present: Reports an attempted kidnap responded to by campus police, a stated harm event against a person.
    15. present: It reports an attempted kidnap of a person, a stated harm attempt.
    16. present: Describes an attempted kidnap with a suspect description, an explicit stated attempted harm to a person.
    17. present: Describes an attempted kidnap, a stated harmful act against a victim.
    18. present: It reports an attempted kidnapping, a clearly stated attempted harm to a person.
    19. present: An attempted kidnap is reported, a clear attempted harm to a person.
    20. present: Describes an attempted kidnap responded to by police, a clearly stated attempted harm to a person.
    21. present: It reports an attempted kidnap, a stated harmful act against a victim.
    22. present: It reports an attempted kidnap of a person, a stated attempted harm beyond merely naming a crime.
    23. present: Describes an attempted kidnap, a stated attempted harm to a person.
    24. present: Describes an attempted kidnapping, a stated harm attempt against a person.
    25. present: Reports an attempted kidnapping, a stated attempted harm to a person.

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

About this analysis
Context

Background

Pasadena City College is a large community college in Pasadena, California, located on a 53-acre main campus at Colorado Boulevard. The R Building is an academic classroom building in the main campus core. On November 16, 2021, at 3:50 PM PST -- mid-afternoon during active instructional hours -- an attempted kidnap was reported by a victim in a third-floor classroom corridor. PCC Campus Police issued the official Timely Warning DR #2021-00129 under the Clery Act's timely-warning framework. PCC maintains a public timely warnings and crime bulletins archive where this incident is recorded. The suspect, described as disheveled with apparent signs of transience, was never publicly identified. The daylight, mid-campus timing distinguishes this case from the more common parking-lot or late-night abduction patterns: it demonstrates that attempted kidnapping incidents can occur in high-traffic campus buildings during normal operating hours.
Analysis

Key Findings

One of the few confirmed-verbatim community college timely warning bulletins for an attempted kidnap in a campus academic building, accessible from PCC's public crime bulletin archive
The daytime, on-campus-building location challenges the assumption that abduction attempts primarily occur in parking lots or at night; R Building's third floor corridor is a high-traffic academic space
PCC's public timely warning archive (including case numbers) represents best practice for community college Clery Act compliance transparency
The 'possibly a transient' descriptor in the official bulletin reflects historical campus safety terminology that is increasingly scrutinized in modern practice as both stigmatizing and operationally vague
Outcome
Suspect not identified or apprehended. PCC Campus Police investigated. The bulletin was posted to the PCC official timely warnings page.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Timely Warning: Attempted Kidnap - DR #2021-00129 (Pasadena City College Campus Police)
    pasadena.edu
    archived copy
  2. Official
    Timely Warnings and Crime Bulletins Archive (Pasadena City College)
    pasadena.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Pasadena City College: Timely warning after an attempted kidnapping reported inside a campus building." Incident of November 16, 2021. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/pasadena-city-college-attempted-kidnap-2021-11-16/

Download case JSON

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

Tags
attempted-abductiontimely-warningcommunity-collegecaliforniadaytime-incidentacademic-buildingverbatim-confirmedpublic-safety-archiveUnder Investigation
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion