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Sexual assault reported outside an off-campus residence; suspect fled on foot

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Under Investigation

University of Michigan's Division of Public Safety and Security issued Crime Alert 2024-01 after the Ann Arbor Police Department opened an investigation into a sexual assault that occurred on March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m. EST in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street. The female victim was attempting to open the front door of her residence when an unknown male came up from behind her, pulled her toward him, and groped her; she yelled and slapped the suspect, who fled on foot. The alert was issued the following day, March 10, 2024.

Alerts
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Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
University of Michigan
Public R1 · MI
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~52,800 studentsUM DPSS 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

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimU-M DPSS Crime Alert2319 chars
Alert ID: 2024-01 Alert Agency: AAPD 24-10556 Alert Issued: March 10, 2024 Date of Incident: March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m. Location: 1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Offense: Sexual Assault Summary: The AAPD is investigating a sexual assault that occurred on March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m. in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street. The female victim was attempting to open the front door of her residence when an unknown male came up from behind her. The suspect began to pull the victim towards him and then groped her. The victim yelled at the suspect and slapped him. The male then fled the area on foot. Officers responded to the scene and were unable to locate the suspect. This is an active and ongoing investigation. Suspect(s): As described by the victim, White male with short brown hair and approximately 6 feet tall If you have any information, please contact the AAPD tip line at 734.794.6939, email tips@a2gov.org. Division of Public Safety & Security at 734.763.1131 Remember: • Be aware of your surroundings • Walk with a trusted friend or co-worker when possible • Trust your intuition. If a situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, choose an alternative • If you see something, say something. Report suspicious behavior. Call 911 • Confidential Tip Line 1-800-863-1355 • Consider late-night transportation options Sexual assault is any sexual activity that occurs in the absence of consent. The responsibility lies with the perpetrator, not the survivor – no one deserves, asks for, or provokes sexual assault. The University of Michigan Police Department’s Special Victims Unit strives to provide a safe, caring environment where victims are empowered to take action. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, we encourage you to report it to law enforcement. DPSS encourages community members in need of support to reach out to: • DPSS Special Victims Unit • Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) • Dean of Students Office • SAFEHouse Center • Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office (FASCCO) • Michigan Medicine Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience For status updates to this alert, visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Corrected reformatted reconstruction to exact structured Crime Alert fields from official DPSS WordPress archive
Includes active-investigation sentence present on the official page
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.

Alert ID: 2024-01 Alert Agency: AAPD 24-10556 Alert Issued: March 10, 2024 Date of Incident: March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m. Location: 1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 Offense: Sexual Assault Summary: The AAPD is investigating a sexual assault that occurred on March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m. in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street. The female victim was attempting to open the front door of her residence when an unknown male came up from behind her. The suspect began to pull the victim towards him and then groped her. The victim yelled at the suspect and slapped him. The male then fled the area on foot. Officers responded to the scene and were unable to locate the suspect. This is an active and ongoing investigation. Suspect(s): As described by the victim, White male with short brown hair and approximately 6 feet tall If you have any information, please contact the AAPD tip line at 734.794.6939, email tips@a2gov.org. Division of Public Safety & Security at 734.763.1131 Remember: • Be aware of your surroundings • Walk with a trusted friend or co-worker when possible • Trust your intuition. If a situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, choose an alternative • If you see something, say something. Report suspicious behavior. Call 911 • Confidential Tip Line 1-800-863-1355 • Consider late-night transportation options Sexual assault is any sexual activity that occurs in the absence of consent. The responsibility lies with the perpetrator, not the survivor – no one deserves, asks for, or provokes sexual assault. The University of Michigan Police Department’s Special Victims Unit strives to provide a safe, caring environment where victims are empowered to take action. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, we encourage you to report it to law enforcement. DPSS encourages community members in need of support to reach out to: • DPSS Special Victims Unit • Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) • Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) • Dean of Students Office • SAFEHouse Center • Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office (FASCCO) • Michigan Medicine Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience For status updates to this alert, visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the source is present; the Ann Arbor Police Department is named as the investigating 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: Names "The AAPD" (Ann Arbor Police Department) as investigating authority.
    2. present: It names "The AAPD", the investigating authority.
    3. present: Names "The AAPD", the investigating authority.
    4. present: It names "The AAPD" (Ann Arbor Police Department), a responding authority.
    5. present: Names "The AAPD" as the investigating authority and uses "CRIME ALERT".
    6. present: It names "The AAPD" investigating, the responding authority.
    7. present: It names "The AAPD" (Ann Arbor Police Department), the investigating authority.
    8. present: Names "The AAPD" as the investigating authority.
    9. present: Names "The AAPD", the investigating police agency.
    10. present: It names "The AAPD" as the investigating authority.
    11. present: It names "The AAPD" as the investigating authority.
    12. present: Names "The AAPD" as the investigating agency.
    13. present: Names "AAPD", the investigating authority.
    14. present: It names the "AAPD" investigating, identifying the authority.
    15. present: It names "The AAPD" as the investigating authority.
    16. present: Names "The AAPD" as the investigating authority.
    17. present: It names "The AAPD" investigating, an identified agency.
    18. present: It names "The AAPD" (Ann Arbor Police Department), the investigating authority.
    19. present: It names the "AAPD" as the investigating authority.
    20. present: It names "The AAPD" investigating, a responding agency.
    21. present: Names the "AAPD" and says it is "CRIME ALERT 2024-01", identifying the source.
    22. present: Names "The AAPD" investigating, a named agency.
    23. present: It names "The AAPD" as the investigating authority.
    24. present: It names "AAPD", the investigating authority.
    25. present: It names "The AAPD" (Ann Arbor Police Department) as the investigating authority.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that the hazard is present; a sexual assault involving groping is named.

    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: States "a sexual assault" with groping, a specific hazard.
    2. present: It names "SEXUAL ASSAULT" with a suspect who "groped her", a specific threat.
    3. present: Names "a sexual assault" where the victim was groped, a specific crime.
    4. present: It names "SEXUAL ASSAULT" with groping by an unknown male, a specific threat.
    5. present: States a "SEXUAL ASSAULT" where a male groped the victim, a specific threat.
    6. present: It names "a sexual assault" where the suspect "groped her", a specific crime.
    7. present: It states a "SEXUAL ASSAULT" where the suspect "groped her", a specific threat.
    8. present: States "a sexual assault" where a suspect "groped her", a specific threat.
    9. present: States "a sexual assault" where the suspect "groped her", a specific threat.
    10. present: It names a "sexual assault" where a man "groped her", a specific threat.
    11. present: It states "a sexual assault" where a man "groped her", a specific threat.
    12. present: States "a sexual assault", a specific hazard.
    13. present: States a "sexual assault" where a male "groped her", a specific threat.
    14. present: It states a "SEXUAL ASSAULT" where the suspect "groped her", a specific hazard.
    15. present: It names a "SEXUAL ASSAULT" where a male groped the victim, a specific threat.
    16. present: Names "a sexual assault" where the suspect "groped her".
    17. present: It names a "sexual assault", a specific threat.
    18. present: It names "a sexual assault" where the suspect "groped her", a specific threat.
    19. present: It states "CRIME ALERT... SEXUAL ASSAULT", a specific threat.
    20. present: It states it is investigating "a sexual assault", a specific named threat.
    21. present: States a "sexual assault" where the suspect "groped her", a specific threat.
    22. present: Names "a sexual assault" where the suspect "groped her", a specific crime.
    23. present: It names "a sexual assault" where a man "groped her", a specific threat.
    24. present: It names "SEXUAL ASSAULT" where a male "groped her".
    25. present: It names a "SEXUAL ASSAULT" where the suspect "groped her".
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree a location is given, the 1000 block of Vaughn Street.

    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: Locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    2. present: It says "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific address.
    3. present: Specifies "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", an address.
    4. present: It cites "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    5. present: Says "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a precise location.
    6. present: It says "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    7. present: It cites "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific address.
    8. present: Gives "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    9. present: Locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    10. present: It cites "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    11. present: It gives "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    12. present: Locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    13. present: Says "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    14. present: It gives the location "1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    15. present: It cites "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    16. present: Locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    17. present: It locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    18. present: It locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    19. present: It gives "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    20. present: It gives "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific place.
    21. present: Gives "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    22. present: Specifies "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    23. present: It locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
    24. present: It gives "the 1000 block of Vaughn Street", a specific location.
    25. present: It locates it "in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street".
  • Guidanceabsent3/25

    Final assessment

    Most reads find guidance absent, as the alert only asks for tips; a few count contacting the tip line as a directed action.

    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: Asks only to contact the tip line, not protective action for recipients.
    2. absent: It narrates the incident and asks for tips, giving recipients no protective action.
    3. absent: Asks for information but gives recipients no protective action to take.
    4. absent: The text gives only a contact-if-information line, not a protective action to recipients.
    5. present: Asks recipients to "contact the AAPD tip line" with information, a protective action.
    6. absent: The text gives a tip-contact but no protective action instruction to recipients.
    7. absent: It offers a tip line but gives recipients no protective action.
    8. absent: The message reports the incident and tip lines but gives recipients no protective action.
    9. absent: Gives only a tip line, no protective action to recipients.
    10. present: It instructs "If you have any information, please contact the AAPD tip line".
    11. absent: It gives only a tip line, no protective action to recipients.
    12. absent: Asks only for information; no protective action is instructed to recipients.
    13. absent: Only asks for information; no protective action is directed to recipients.
    14. absent: It only asks for information tips; it gives recipients no protective action.
    15. absent: It narrates the incident and gives a tip line, with no protective action for recipients.
    16. absent: Gives only a tip line, no protective action instructed to recipients.
    17. absent: It asks only for information; no protective action is directed to recipients.
    18. absent: It only narrates the incident and gives a tip line, providing no protective action to recipients.
    19. present: It asks anyone with information to "contact the AAPD tip line", a directed action.
    20. absent: It gives a tip line but no protective action instruction to recipients.
    21. absent: The message asks for tips but gives recipients no protective action to take.
    22. absent: The text describes the incident and gives a tip line, with no protective action to recipients.
    23. absent: It gives only a tip line, no protective action instruction to recipients.
    24. absent: It gives only a tip line, no protective action directed at recipients.
    25. absent: It gives only a tip line to call, not a protective instruction.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree time is present; the alert gives March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 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: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    2. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.", a clock time and date.
    3. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.", a date and clock time.
    4. present: It states "on March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    5. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m."
    6. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    7. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.", a clock time and date.
    8. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.", a date and clock time.
    9. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    10. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m." as the incident time.
    11. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m."
    12. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m."
    13. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m."
    14. present: It provides "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    15. present: It states "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.", a clock time and date.
    16. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m."
    17. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    18. present: It gives the date and time "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    19. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    20. present: It states "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.", a clock time and date.
    21. present: Says it occurred "on March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    22. present: Gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m."
    23. present: It cites "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    24. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
    25. present: It gives "March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.".
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present by unanimous 25-0 read; the sexual assault warning conveys a threat of harm to people beyond merely naming the incident.

    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: Describes a sexual assault in which a suspect grabbed and groped a victim, a stated harm to a person.
    2. present: Reports a sexual assault in which a male groped the victim, a stated harm to a person.
    3. present: Describes a sexual assault where a male pulled the victim toward him and groped her, a stated harm to a person.
    4. present: It reports a suspect groped the victim and pulled her toward him, an explicit assault harm.
    5. present: It reports a suspect groped the victim in a sexual assault, a stated physical harm.
    6. present: Reports a sexual assault where a suspect grabbed and groped the victim, a stated harm to a victim.
    7. present: It reports a sexual assault where the suspect pulled the victim and groped her which is a stated physical harm.
    8. present: Reports a sexual assault where a suspect groped the victim, a stated physical harm to a person.
    9. present: Reports a sexual assault in which a male groped the victim, a stated harm to a person.
    10. present: The crime alert reports a sexual assault in which a suspect groped the victim, an explicit harm to a person.
    11. present: Describes a sexual assault where the suspect pulled the victim toward him and groped her, a stated harm to a person.
    12. present: The crime alert describes a sexual assault in which a male groped the victim, a stated harm.
    13. present: The alert reports a sexual assault in which a suspect groped the victim, a stated harm to a person.
    14. present: Reports a sexual assault where a man groped the victim, a stated harm to a person.
    15. present: Reports a suspect grabbed and groped the female victim during a sexual assault, a stated harm.
    16. present: The crime alert describes a suspect who grabbed and groped the victim, an explicit physical and sexual harm to a person.
    17. present: It reports a sexual assault where a suspect groped the victim, a stated harm to a victim.
    18. present: The alert describes a sexual assault where a suspect pulled and groped the victim, an explicit physical harm to a person.
    19. present: It reports a sexual assault in which a man groped the victim, a stated physical harm to a person.
    20. present: Reports a sexual assault in which a male groped the victim, a stated harm to the victim.
    21. present: Describes a suspect grabbing and groping the victim which is a stated physical harm to a person.
    22. present: Describes a sexual assault where a suspect grabbed and groped the victim, a stated harm to a person.
    23. present: Reports a sexual assault in which a man groped the victim from behind, a stated harm to a person.
    24. present: The crime alert describes a sexual assault in which a suspect grabbed and groped the victim from behind, a stated harm to a victim.
    25. present: Reports a suspect pulled the victim and groped her, a stated physical assault and harm.

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

About this analysis
Context

Background

University of Michigan issues numbered Clery crime alerts under the heading 'Crime Alert YYYY-NN' and posts them to the DPSS news-and-alerts page. Crime Alert 2024-01 (the year's first sexual-assault alert) concerned a stranger attack at the doorstep of a victim's residence in the 1000 block of Vaughn Street, a residential corridor west of UM's central campus that houses many student renters. UM DPSS coordinates with the Ann Arbor Police Department on incidents in shared geography, with AAPD often serving as the lead investigative agency for off-campus addresses while UM DPSS handles Clery notification. The alert reflects a common pattern at large public universities with substantial off-campus student populations: timely warnings extending beyond the strict bounds of campus property to addresses where students live and walk in the early-morning hours.
Analysis

Key Findings

Crime Alert 2024-01 was UM DPSS's first sexual-assault Clery alert of 2024, issued for an off-campus stranger attack within the university's Clery geography
The alert documents a relatively rare scenario: a stranger sexual assault at the victim's own doorstep in pre-dawn hours, with the suspect fleeing after the victim physically resisted
AAPD, not UM Police, is the lead investigating agency, illustrating the multi-jurisdictional structure of campus-adjacent crime response in college towns
UM uses sequential annual Crime Alert numbering, a transparency-friendly indexing system that lets community members track institutional alerting cadence year over year
Outcome
AAPD officers were unable to locate the suspect at the scene. Investigation continued; no public arrest reported in connection with this specific incident.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Crime Alert 2024-01: Sexual Assault (UM Division of Public Safety and Security)
    dpss.umich.edu
    archived copy
  2. Student Paper
    AAPD investigating Sunday morning sexual assault on Vaughn St (The Michigan Daily)
    michigandaily.com
    archived copy
  3. Official
    Crime Alerts archive (UM Division of Public Safety and Security)
    dpss.umich.edu
    archived copy
  4. Official
    Crime Alert – 2024-01 (DPSS news archive)
    news.dpss.umich.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Michigan: Sexual assault reported outside an off-campus residence; suspect fled on foot." Incident of March 9, 2024. Added April 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/university-of-michigan-vaughn-street-sexual-assault-2024-03-09/

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

Tags
sexual-assaulttimely-warningcrime-alertoff-campusstranger-attackmichiganpublic-r1ann-arborUnder Investigation
Added April 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion