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UMich

Knife held to a person's throat during an altercation at a store adjacent to campus

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MIaggravated assaulttimely warninghigh confidence
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Confirmed Threat

A felonious assault occurred at the Target store at 231 S. State Street in Ann Arbor on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m. EDT. Two individuals bumped into each other at the entrance, triggering a verbal altercation during which the suspect brandished a folded pocket knife and placed it against the victim's throat. The University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security issued Crime Alert 2024-02, which was later canceled after the suspect was identified.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
University of Michigan
Public R1 · MI
All UMich cases →
~48,000 studentsDPSS Crime Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how UMich says it will use U-M Emergency 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 verbatim1350 chars
Crime Alert 2024-02: Felonious Assault Summary: The Ann Arbor Police Department is investigating a Felonious Assault that occurred at the Target store on 231 S. State Street, on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m. Two individuals were walking in the door when they bumped into each other. A verbal altercation occurred, and the suspect brandished a folded pocket knife and placed it against the victim’s throat. The victim pushed the suspect away, and the suspect exposed the blade. They separated, and both continued shopping before they left the store. Suspect(s): Black male, 6’ tall, approximately 20 years of age, thin build, short curly hair. Wearing a dark navy or black jacket. If you have any information, please contact the AAPD tip line at 734.794.6939 or email tips@a2gov.org. Contact the Division of Public Safety & Security at 734.763.1131. Safety and Security Tips: For updates, visit dpss.umich.edu. - Look assertive and be aware of your surroundings. - Trust your intuition. If a particular situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, choose an alternative - Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas - If you feel threatened, look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911 from any phone. - If you see something, say something. Report suspicious behavior. Call 911 - Confidential Tip Line 1-800-863-1355
Verify this quote
UMich DPSS Crime Alert 2024-02 archive (news.dpss.umich.edu/2024/04/4268)news.dpss.umich.edufind archived copies
Corrected reformatted reconstruction to exact structured Crime Alert fields from official DPSS archive
Preserves double space in location and curly apostrophes as published
Live h1 carries retroactive [Canceled] stamp (archive template, not transmission). Moved here.
2026-09-21 second deep audit P2 chrome R1/ruling #6: DPSS Alert ID/Agency/Issued/Date/Location/Offense field block is archive-page template. Recaptured title + rich-text notice body. Paired demote+correct. Cap-exempt.
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.

Crime Alert 2024-02: Felonious Assault Summary: The Ann Arbor Police Department is investigating a Felonious Assault that occurred at the Target store on 231 S. State Street, on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m. Two individuals were walking in the door when they bumped into each other. A verbal altercation occurred, and the suspect brandished a folded pocket knife and placed it against the victim’s throat. The victim pushed the suspect away, and the suspect exposed the blade. They separated, and both continued shopping before they left the store. Suspect(s): Black male, 6’ tall, approximately 20 years of age, thin build, short curly hair. Wearing a dark navy or black jacket. If you have any information, please contact the AAPD tip line at 734.794.6939 or email tips@a2gov.org. Contact the Division of Public Safety & Security at 734.763.1131. Safety and Security Tips: For updates, visit dpss.umich.edu. - Look assertive and be aware of your surroundings. - Trust your intuition. If a particular situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, choose an alternative - Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas - If you feel threatened, look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911 from any phone. - If you see something, say something. Report suspicious behavior. Call 911 - Confidential Tip Line 1-800-863-1355

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it names the Ann Arbor Police Department as investigating and gives the U-M Division of Public Safety & Security as a contact.

    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 the 'Ann Arbor Police Department' and U-M 'Division of Public Safety & Security'.
    2. present: It names "The Ann Arbor Police Department" and the "Division of Public Safety & Security" as the authorities.
    3. present: It names the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security.
    4. present: It names 'The Ann Arbor Police Department' and the 'Division of Public Safety & Security'.
    5. present: It says 'The Ann Arbor Police Department is investigating' and gives the Division of Public Safety & Security contact.
    6. present: It names 'The Ann Arbor Police Department' and the 'Division of Public Safety & Security'.
    7. present: Labeled 'Crime Alert 2024-02', it names the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security.
    8. present: The Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security are named as sources.
    9. present: It names the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security under 'Crime Alert 2024-02'.
    10. present: It is 'Crime Alert 2024-02' naming the Ann Arbor Police Department and U-M Division of Public Safety & Security.
    11. present: It names 'The Ann Arbor Police Department' and 'the Division of Public Safety & Security' as the reporting authorities.
    12. present: It says 'The Ann Arbor Police Department is investigating' and lists the Division of Public Safety & Security contact.
    13. present: It names the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security as sources and contacts.
    14. present: It is 'Crime Alert 2024-02' from U-M, naming the Ann Arbor Police Department.
    15. present: It names the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security.
    16. present: It names 'The Ann Arbor Police Department' and the 'Division of Public Safety & Security' as sources for Crime Alert 2024-02.
    17. present: It is 'Crime Alert 2024-02' naming the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security.
    18. present: It names the Ann Arbor Police Department and Division of Public Safety & Security as responsible authorities.
    19. present: It cites 'The Ann Arbor Police Department' and 'the Division of Public Safety & Security'.
    20. present: It names 'The Ann Arbor Police Department' and the 'Division of Public Safety & Security' in this Crime Alert.
    21. present: The alert directs readers to the Division of Public Safety & Security and names AAPD as investigating.
    22. present: It names 'The Ann Arbor Police Department' and gives the Division of Public Safety & Security phone number.
    23. present: It is headed 'Crime Alert 2024-02' and names the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security.
    24. present: It names "The Ann Arbor Police Department" and the Division of Public Safety & Security.
    25. present: It names the Ann Arbor Police Department and the Division of Public Safety & Security as the investigating and contact agencies.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it names a "Felonious Assault" in which the suspect "brandished a folded pocket knife" and held it to the victim's throat.

    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 describes a 'Felonious Assault' where the suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife'.
    2. present: It names a "Felonious Assault" where the suspect placed a knife against the victim's throat.
    3. present: It names a 'Felonious Assault' with a 'folded pocket knife'.
    4. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' in which a suspect brandished a pocket knife.
    5. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' in which the suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife'.
    6. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' where the suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife'.
    7. present: It names a 'Felonious Assault' where the suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife', a specific threat.
    8. present: It reports a "Felonious Assault" in which a suspect "brandished a folded pocket knife".
    9. present: It describes a 'Felonious Assault' with a pocket knife placed against the victim's throat.
    10. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' where a suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife'.
    11. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' in which the suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife', a specific threat.
    12. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' involving a 'folded pocket knife' placed against the victim's throat.
    13. present: It describes a 'Felonious Assault' in which the suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife'.
    14. present: It names a 'Felonious Assault' involving a brandished pocket knife.
    15. present: It reports "a Felonious Assault" involving a pocket knife against a throat.
    16. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' in which the suspect brandished a folded pocket knife against the victim's throat.
    17. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' where a suspect 'placed it against the victim's throat' with a knife.
    18. present: It names a "Felonious Assault" involving a pocket knife against a victim's throat.
    19. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' with a 'folded pocket knife', a specific threat.
    20. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' with a 'folded pocket knife' held to the victim's throat.
    21. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' in which a pocket knife was held to the victim's throat.
    22. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' involving a folded pocket knife placed against a throat.
    23. present: It describes a 'Felonious Assault' where a suspect 'placed it against the victim's throat' with a pocket knife.
    24. present: It reports a "Felonious Assault" in which the suspect used "a folded pocket knife," a specific threat.
    25. present: It reports a 'Felonious Assault' in which the suspect 'brandished a folded pocket knife', a specific threat.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it places the assault at "the Target store on 231 S. State Street", a specific address.

    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 locates the assault at 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    2. present: It gives "the Target store on 231 S. State Street" as the location.
    3. present: It locates the assault at 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    4. present: The incident occurred 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    5. present: It places the assault at 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    6. present: It gives 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street' as the specific place where the knife assault occurred.
    7. present: It places the assault at 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    8. present: The assault took place "at the Target store on 231 S. State Street".
    9. present: It places the incident at 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    10. present: It gives 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street' as the location.
    11. present: The incident took place 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    12. present: It places the assault 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    13. present: It locates the assault 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    14. present: It gives 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    15. present: It gives "the Target store on 231 S. State Street".
    16. present: It locates the assault 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    17. present: It names 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    18. present: It gives "the Target store on 231 S. State Street" as the specific place where the knife assault happened.
    19. present: It places the incident at 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    20. present: It places the incident 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    21. present: It places the assault at 'the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    22. present: The assault happened 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    23. present: It locates the incident 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
    24. present: It says the assault occurred "at the Target store on 231 S. State Street."
    25. present: It places the incident 'at the Target store on 231 S. State Street'.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: the safety tips tell recipients to walk with a friend in well-lit areas and to use a blue light phone or call 911 if threatened.

    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: It tells readers to 'Walk with a friend' and use a blue light phone or 911 if threatened.
    2. present: It advises readers to "Walk with a friend" and call 911 if they feel threatened, protective actions.
    3. present: It advises 'Walk with a friend' and to 'call 911 from any phone' if threatened.
    4. present: It says 'If you feel threatened, look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911'.
    5. present: It tells readers to 'Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas' and call 911 if threatened.
    6. present: It advises 'Walk with a friend' and to call 911 'If you feel threatened'.
    7. present: Its tips tell readers to 'be aware of your surroundings' and 'call 911 from any phone' if threatened.
    8. present: Readers are told to "Look assertive", walk with others, and "call 911" if they feel threatened.
    9. present: It tells readers to walk with a friend in well lit areas and 'call 911 from any phone' if threatened.
    10. present: It tells readers to 'Look assertive and be aware of your surroundings' and call 911 if they feel threatened.
    11. present: It advises 'Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas' and 'call 911 from any phone' if threatened.
    12. present: It advises 'Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas' and to 'call 911' if threatened.
    13. present: It tells readers that 'If you feel threatened, look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911'.
    14. present: It advises 'Look assertive and be aware of your surroundings' and to call 911 if threatened.
    15. present: It advises walking with a friend in well lit areas and calling 911 if threatened.
    16. present: Its tips tell readers to 'Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas' and 'call 911' if threatened.
    17. present: It urges people to 'look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911' if threatened and to walk in well-lit areas.
    18. present: It advises "Walk with a friend" and "call 911" if threatened, which are protective actions.
    19. present: It tells readers to 'Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas' and to call 911 if threatened.
    20. present: It tells readers to 'Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas' and 'call 911' if threatened.
    21. present: It advises readers to 'look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911' if threatened, a protective instruction.
    22. present: It says 'If you feel threatened, look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911'.
    23. present: It tells readers 'If you feel threatened, look for a blue light emergency phone or call 911'.
    24. present: It advises "Walk with a friend" and "If you feel threatened... call 911."
    25. present: It tells readers to 'Walk with a friend or co-worker in well-lit areas' and to call 911 from any phone if threatened.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it states the assault occurred "on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.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 gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'.
    2. present: It gives "April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m." as the time of the assault.
    3. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'.
    4. present: It states the assault occurred 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.', a clear date and time.
    5. present: It says the assault happened 'on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.', a full date and clock time.
    6. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.' as the date and time of the felonious assault.
    7. present: It gives the date and time 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'
    8. present: The incident happened "on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m."
    9. present: It dates the knife assault 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.', a clear date and clock time.
    10. present: It says the assault occurred 'on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'.
    11. present: It states 'on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.', a date and clock time.
    12. present: It states 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.', which gives both a date and a clock time for the felonious assault.
    13. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.' as the time of the assault.
    14. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'.
    15. present: It gives "April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m."
    16. present: It states the incident occurred 'on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'
    17. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.' as the incident time.
    18. present: It gives "April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m." as the date and clock time of the assault.
    19. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.' as the date and time of the knife assault.
    20. present: It says the assault occurred 'on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'
    21. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.' as the time.
    22. present: It gives 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.' as the time.
    23. present: It gives the incident as 'April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'
    24. present: It gives "April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m." as the date and time of the assault.
    25. present: It states the assault happened 'on April 1, 2024, at approximately 8:40 p.m.'.
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    Absent, unanimously: it narrates the knife incident but states no potential consequence or severity for the wider community.

    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: It describes the knife incident but states no potential consequence for others.
    2. absent: Beyond the knife description, it states no consequence or severity of the threat.
    3. absent: It describes the knife incident but states no potential consequence or severity.
    4. absent: No stated consequence or severity beyond the description of the assault appears.
    5. absent: The knife against the throat is described, but no consequence or severity is explicitly conveyed.
    6. absent: No statement of potential harm or severity appears in this crime alert.
    7. absent: It recounts the knife against the throat but does not state potential harm or severity to the community.
    8. absent: No injury or consequence is stated; both parties simply "continued shopping before they left the store".
    9. absent: It does not state potential harm or severity for recipients, only narrating the confrontation.
    10. absent: It describes the knife at the throat but never states a broader consequence or severity to the community.
    11. absent: Although the knife was held to the victim's throat, the text never explicitly states consequences or severity for others.
    12. absent: No potential consequence or severity is stated beyond narrating the knife encounter.
    13. absent: It recounts the knife incident without explicitly stating the danger or potential injury it poses.
    14. absent: Although a blade was exposed, no injury or severity statement appears.
    15. absent: It describes the knife but reports no injury or explicit severity.
    16. absent: It describes the knife incident but never states danger or consequences for the broader community.
    17. absent: No injury or danger level is stated; it says both people 'continued shopping before they left the store'.
    18. absent: It describes the knife but states no injury or consequence for the community.
    19. absent: It describes the knife incident but states no injury or potential harm.
    20. absent: The alert names the knife assault but does not describe potential harm or severity to recipients.
    21. absent: No injury or severity is stated; the text describes the altercation and that both kept shopping.
    22. absent: The knife incident is described, but no statement of injury or potential harm to others appears.
    23. absent: It describes the assault without stating injuries or potential consequences for readers.
    24. absent: The knife threat is described, but no consequence or severity is stated.
    25. absent: It recounts the knife threat without any stated injury or explicit statement of danger to the community.

Coded by Claude Opus 5.5

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

About this analysis
Context

Background

The Target store at 231 S. State Street sits directly adjacent to the University of Michigan's central campus, making it a high-traffic location for students and a Clery-reportable property. The Michigan Daily covered the incident, noting the unusual circumstances of the assault. The University of Michigan's Division of Public Safety and Security issues crime alerts as its version of Clery Act timely warnings, and maintains an interactive crime alert map that allows the community to track the geographic distribution of reported crimes. UMich follows a practice of canceling crime alerts when the ongoing threat is resolved, typically because a suspect has been identified or apprehended.
Analysis

Key Findings

The felonious assault occurred at a Target store immediately adjacent to campus, a commercial property that falls within Clery-reportable geography due to its proximity
Michigan uses the term 'felonious assault' (MCL 750.82) rather than 'aggravated assault,' which can create confusion when mapping state criminal codes to Clery Act reporting categories
UMich cancels crime alerts when the ongoing threat is resolved; this alert was canceled after the suspect was identified
The unusual detail that both parties continued shopping after a knife-to-throat confrontation illustrates the unpredictable nature of interpersonal violence that triggers Clery reporting
Outcome
Suspect identified. Crime alert canceled. Ann Arbor Police Department led the investigation.
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
    Crime Alert 2024-02: Felonious Assault [Canceled] - UMich DPSS
    news.dpss.umich.edu
    archived copy
  2. Student Paper
    AAPD investigating Monday night assault at State Street Target - The Michigan Daily
    michigandaily.com
    archived copy
  3. Official
    Crime Alerts - UMich Division of Public Safety & Security
    dpss.umich.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Michigan: Knife held to a person's throat during an altercation at a store adjacent to campus." Incident of April 1, 2024. Added April 2026; last updated September 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/university-of-michigan-felonious-assault-2024-04-01/

Download case JSON

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

Tags
felonious-assaultaggravated-assaulttimely-warningmichigankniferetail-locationcanceled-alert
Added April 2026Updated September 2026Via ingestion