USC

Knifepoint robbery at an ATM near campus prompts a timely warning

AI-generated · every claim is source-linked

Thursday, April 4, 2024CArobberytimely warninghigh confidence

Under Investigation

On April 4, 2024, at approximately 9:49 p.m. PDT, a suspect brandished a knife and robbed a victim who had just withdrawn money from the Bank of America ATM at 3201 South Hoover Street near USC's University Park Campus. The suspect fled westbound on Jefferson Boulevard on foot. USC's Department of Public Safety issued a Clery Act timely warning to the campus community.

Alerts: 1
Response: —
Killed: —
Injured: —

Institution

University of Southern California

Private R1 · CA

All USC cases →

~49,000 studentsTrojansAlert

Official alert policy

Read when and how USC says it will use TrojansAlert: 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 ALERTEmailShortly after 9:49 p.m. PT, April 4, 2024

Verified verbatim5818 chars

Incident Description: The suspect observed the victim withdrawing money from the Bank of America ATM. The suspect threatened the victim with the knife and demanded the newly withdrawn money. The suspect was last seen going westbound on Jefferson Boulevard on foot. Reported Offense: Robbery Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m. Location: Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street Report Number: 2401443 Vehicle Description: None Suspect Description (provided by reporting party): Age:25 years old Eye Color:Unknown Hair Color:Dark brown Height:Between 5 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 4 inches Race:Hispanic Sex:Male Weight:Medium build Additional Description:Wearing a black jacket, black pants, black shoes with white laces, and a white bandana around his mouth. Weapon:Knife Click the link(s) below to view images related to this alert: Image 1 If you are in immediate DANGER, call the Los Angeles Police Department at 911 or the USC Department of Public Safety at (213) 740-4321. Please note that race, ethnicity, gender and/or religious affiliation are NOT considered the basis for suspicion; only behaviors are considered suspicious. If you have information relevant to the crime(s) reflected in this alert, immediately call DPS at (213) 740-6000 for the University Park Campus (UPC), (323) 442-1000 for the Health Sciences Campus (HSC) or (213) 485-6571 for the LAPD Southwest Division. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts to the university community, in compliance with the Clery Act, when a criminal incident occurs within USC’s Clery geography and represents either a serious or continuing threat to the safety of students, employees and others. The purpose of this warning is to aid in the prevention of similar crimes by alerting the community about the incident and to provide information which allows individuals to make informed decisions about their personal safety. USC Department of Public Safety Recommendations – Robbery Not every person you meet has good intentions. Be cautious of strangers and keep a safe distance. There is safety in numbers, so travel with friends. Avoid using cell phones or other technology while walking as criminals target distracted, inattentive individuals using them. If you are the victim of a robbery remain calm and do not resist. Assure the robber you will cooperate and take no action that may jeopardize your safety. Do not make any quick or unexpected movements. Follow the robber’s direction, but do not offer more than they ask for. Don’t argue with the robber. After the robbery, go immediately to a safe location and report the crime to law enforcement. Call DPS emergency for UPC at (213) 740-4321, for HSC call (323) 442-1000 or call 911 for LAPD. If you observe a crime in progress, STAY CALM AND CALL DPS emergency for UPC at (213) 740-4321, for HSC call (323) 442-1000 or call 911 for LAPD. Be a good witness: It is important to recall what you observed and provide as many details as possible to law enforcement such as: the sex, race, age, height, hair color, clothing, tattoos, scars of any suspects and a description of the make and model of any vehicle used in the crime and its license plate if possible. Do not attempt to apprehend any suspects or perpetrators of crime. Other options to contact DPS, to report crime, ask for help and to receive information: Blue light emergency phones are located throughout UPC and HSC. The phones are connected to the USC DPS’ 24-hour communications center and identify the phone location if the caller is unable to speak. The phones can be used to request help, an escort, report suspicious activity and to report crimes. For more information visit: Emergency Blue Light Phones | Department of Public Safety | USC. Security Ambassadors : In addition to DPS officers who patrol a 2.5 mile radius around USC’s campuses, USC contracts with “Security Ambassadors” to patrol street corners in nearby neighborhoods and to observe and report crime and suspicious activity. This security force wears bright yellow jackets so you can easily spot them. If you need assistance, look for a Security Ambassador. Get a Ride: Lyft is now available at HSC and UPC to cover shared rides. Lyft at UPC is open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week. Lyft at HSC is open from 5 p.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday only. Please visit the USC Lyft page for more information: https://transnet.usc.edu/index.php/campus-cruiser-program/how-to-use-lyft/ Verify your driver and car: Once you have requested a Lyft ride, you can view the driver’s rating. When your ride arrives, make sure the driver’s photo, license plate number and vehicle description match. Never take a ride you did not request or get into a car that doesn’t match the details provided by the Lyft app. Go the extra mile: The Lyft app’s “share your ETA” function allows you to invite friends to see your trip in real-time. The app will draft a text message you can share with friends that includes your ETA and a link to a live map that allows them to track your trip. Too much effort? Call a friend and stay on the line while you’re in the car instead. LiveSafe APP: To quickly make emergency push button calls to DPS or 911 on your mobile phone, download the Trojan Mobile Safety APP “LIVESAFE” from Google Play or the Apple iTunes Store. For more information regarding LIVESAFE visit https://dps.usc.edu/services/safety-app/. TrojansAlert: Register for USC’s emergency notification system TrojansAlert t o allow university officials to contact you during an emergency by sending messages via text message and email. For more information visit: http://dps.usc.edu/services/trojans-alerts/. (Please note that students, staff and faculty automatically are signed up for TrojansAlerts.)

Verify this quote

USC Department of Public Safety Timely Warning Archivedps.usc.edu find archived copies

Verbatim text from the official USC DPS timely warning archive at dps.usc.edu/2024/04/04/robbery-122/

The ATM location at 3201 South Hoover Street is just south of Jefferson Boulevard, within the DPS patrol zone

USC timely warnings for robbery are among the most frequently issued Clery alerts in the country due to the urban campus environment

The alert does not include a suspect description, suggesting the victim may not have been able to provide one

2026-09-21 second deep audit b51 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.

Sourcepresent25/25
Final assessment
Unanimous: it names the "USC Department of Public Safety (DPS)" as the issuer of the Crime Alert.
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
present: It names the 'USC Department of Public Safety (DPS)' as issuing the alert.
present: It says "The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts", identifying USC DPS as sender.
present: It names the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at USC as the issuer.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts', naming the sender.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and cites USC DPS.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts', naming USC DPS as the sender.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and names USC DPS.
present: It says "The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts" and names USC DPS recommendations.
present: It names the USC Department of Public Safety (DPS), which issues the Crime Alert.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' for USC.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and gives USC DPS numbers.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts', identifying USC DPS.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and gives DPS recommendations.
present: It says the Department of Public Safety issues Crime Alerts and names USC DPS.
present: It names the USC Department of Public Safety.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and cites USC DPS recommendations.
present: It names the 'USC Department of Public Safety' as the issuer of Crime Alerts.
present: It names "The Department of Public Safety (DPS)" and USC as the issuing authority.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and gives USC DPS numbers.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and presents USC DPS recommendations.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and gives USC DPS numbers.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts', naming USC DPS.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and names USC DPS.
present: It says "The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts" for USC.
present: It says 'The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues Crime Alerts' and gives USC DPS numbers, naming the issuer.
Hazardpresent25/25
Final assessment
Unanimous: it reports a "Robbery" in which the suspect "threatened the victim with the knife".
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
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It names a "Robbery" where the suspect "threatened the victim with the knife".
present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where 'The suspect threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It names a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife', a specific threat.
present: It reports a "Robbery" in which the suspect "threatened the victim with the knife".
present: It describes a robbery in which 'The suspect threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where 'The suspect threatened the victim with the knife', a specific threat.
present: It names a 'Robbery' where the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It names a 'Robbery' where the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a "Robbery" where the suspect "threatened the victim with the knife".
present: It reports a 'Robbery' in which 'The suspect threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where 'The suspect threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It names a "Robbery" in which the suspect threatened the victim with a "Knife", a specific threat.
present: It reports a robbery where 'The suspect threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife', a specific armed crime.
present: It reports that the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife', a robbery.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' where the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a 'Robbery' in which the suspect 'threatened the victim with the knife'.
present: It reports a "Robbery" where the suspect "threatened the victim with the knife."
present: It reports a robbery in which 'The suspect threatened the victim with the knife', a specific threat.
Locationpresent25/25
Final assessment
Unanimous: it gives "Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover 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
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street'.
present: It gives the location as "Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street", a specific address.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street'.
present: It gives the location as 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street'.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the specific robbery location.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the specific location of the robbery.
present: It gives the location 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street', a specific address.
present: It occurred "Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street".
present: It gives the location 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' for the robbery.
present: It gives the location as 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street', a specific address.
present: It names 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the location.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street', a specific address where the ATM robbery occurred.
present: It gives the location as 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street', a specific address.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street'.
present: It gives "Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street".
present: It gives the location as 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street', a specific address.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street'.
present: It gives the location "Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street", a specific address.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the robbery location.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the location.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the place where the robbery happened.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the robbery location.
present: It gives 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street' as the location.
present: It gives "Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street" as the robbery location.
present: It gives the location as 'Outside Bank of America at 3201 South Hoover Street'.
Guidancepresent25/25
Final assessment
Unanimous: it tells anyone in "immediate DANGER" to call 911 or DPS and advises readers to travel with friends.
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
present: It says to call 911 if in 'immediate DANGER' and to travel with friends.
present: It says to call 911 if in immediate danger and to travel with friends, protective actions.
present: It says to call 911 if 'in immediate DANGER' and to travel with friends.
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and to travel with friends.
present: It advises 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and to travel with friends.
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and to 'travel with friends'.
present: It advises readers to call 911 'If you are in immediate DANGER' and to 'travel with friends'.
present: Readers are told to travel with friends, avoid distraction, and "do not resist" if robbed.
present: It tells readers to 'call the Los Angeles Police Department at 911' if in danger and to travel with friends.
present: It advises 'travel with friends' and 'Do not attempt to apprehend any suspects'.
present: It advises readers to 'travel with friends' and to call 911 or DPS if in immediate danger.
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and advises 'travel with friends'.
present: It advises 'travel with friends' and to call 911 or DPS if in immediate danger.
present: It says to call 911 or DPS if in danger and advises 'travel with friends'.
present: It advises calling 911 if in danger and to "travel with friends".
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 or DPS, and advises travel with friends.
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and to travel with friends.
present: It advises readers to "travel with friends" and not resist, which are protective actions.
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and to 'travel with friends'.
present: It advises readers to 'travel with friends' and 'Do not attempt to apprehend any suspects', protective actions.
present: It advises 'travel with friends' and 'call 911' if in immediate danger.
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and advises travel with friends.
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and advises travelling with friends.
present: It says "If you are in immediate DANGER, call" 911 and "travel with friends."
present: It says 'If you are in immediate DANGER, call' 911 and advises readers to 'travel with friends'.
Timepresent25/25
Final assessment
Unanimous: it gives the occurrence as "04/04/2024 9:49 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
present: It gives '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.' as occurrence.
present: It gives "Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.", an exact date and clock time.
present: It gives '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.' as the time of occurrence.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.' for the robbery.
present: It gives the date and time of occurrence as '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', a precise time cue.
present: It gives '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.' as the date and time of occurrence for the ATM robbery.
present: It gives 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', a specific date and clock time.
present: The date and time of occurrence is listed as "04/04/2024 9:49 p.m." in the alert.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', a clear date and clock time.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', a specific date and clock time.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', giving a specific date and clock time.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', which gives a specific date and clock time for the robbery.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', giving an exact date and time.
present: It gives '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.' as date and time.
present: It gives "04/04/2024 9:49 p.m."
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', a specific date and clock time for the robbery.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.'
present: It gives the occurrence date and time "04/04/2024 9:49 p.m." in the incident details.
present: It states '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.' as the date and time of occurrence of the robbery.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.'
present: It gives the 'Date & Time of Occurrence' as '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.', a clear date and clock time.
present: It gives '04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.' as the date and time of occurrence.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.'
present: It lists "Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.," an explicit date and clock time.
present: It lists 'Date & Time of Occurrence: 04/04/2024 9:49 p.m.'.
Impactabsent11/25
Final assessment
A narrow majority (14 of 25) find impact absent: the knife robbery is described without injury or consequence; eleven dissenters counted the boilerplate "serious or continuing threat to the safety" of the community as severity.
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
absent: It states no injuries or specific consequence beyond the robbery.
absent: It describes the knife threat but states no consequence or severity for the community.
absent: It names the knife threat but does not state any potential consequence or severity.
present: It says the incident 'represents either a serious or continuing threat to the safety of students'.
present: It says such alerts cover crimes representing 'a serious or continuing threat to the safety' of the community.
absent: It states no consequence or severity beyond factually describing the knife robbery at the ATM.
present: It says such alerts cover incidents that represent 'a serious or continuing threat to the safety' of the community.
absent: It notes the knife threat but gives no injury report or consequence statement for this robbery.
present: It says DPS issues alerts when an incident 'represents either a serious or continuing threat to the safety of students', stating severity.
present: It says such crimes represent 'a serious or continuing threat to the safety of students', conveying severity.
absent: It describes the knife robbery but never states injuries or potential harm to others.
present: It says alerts cover incidents that represent 'a serious or continuing threat to the safety' of the community, conveying severity.
absent: It describes the knife robbery but states no explicit consequence or severity.
present: It says the crime 'represents either a serious or continuing threat to the safety' of the community.
absent: It describes the knife threat but states no injury or consequence.
present: It says alerts cover incidents that represent 'a serious or continuing threat to the safety' of the community.
absent: It names the knife threat but states no injury or severity; the threat language is only Clery boilerplate.
absent: It uses only generic Clery wording about serious threats and states no specific consequence.
absent: It describes the knife robbery but states no injury or potential consequence.
present: It says such alerts cover incidents that 'represent either a serious or continuing threat to the safety' of the community.
absent: It names the knife robbery but does not state any consequence or severity.
absent: It describes the knife threat at the ATM but states no injury or severity.
absent: It describes the knife threat but states no potential harm or severity for the community.
present: It frames the incident as a "serious or continuing threat to the safety of students, employees and others."
present: It says alerts are issued when an incident 'represents either a serious or continuing threat to the safety' of the community, conveying severity.

Coded by Claude Opus 5.5

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

About this analysis

Context

Background

The University of Southern California's University Park Campus sits in a dense urban neighborhood south of downtown Los Angeles, where property crime and robbery have been persistent concerns for decades. USC's Department of Public Safety issues Clery Act timely warnings at a high rate compared to peer institutions, reflecting both the volume of reported crime near campus and the university's commitment to compliance. The April 4, 2024 ATM robbery at the Bank of America branch on South Hoover Street follows a familiar pattern: suspects target students and community members withdrawing cash at ATMs near campus during evening hours. USC's TrojansAlert system, which delivers notifications via text and email, is the primary channel for these warnings. The DPS alert directed witnesses to contact either DPS or the LAPD Southwest Division, reflecting the overlapping jurisdictions that characterize policing near USC. A separate, unrelated USC incident earlier that same day, an afternoon apartment burglary and hours-long standoff on West 30th Street, is documented as its own case in this archive.

Analysis

Key Findings

ATM robberies near USC's University Park Campus are a recurring pattern reflected in multiple timely warnings per year

The alert was issued as a Clery Act timely warning rather than an emergency notification, indicating an ongoing but not immediate campus-wide threat

Overlapping jurisdiction between USC DPS and LAPD Southwest Division is typical for urban campus policing

Outcome

Suspect fled on foot westbound on Jefferson Boulevard. No arrest reported at time of alert. Investigation ongoing by DPS and LAPD Southwest Division.

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.

Official
Robbery - USC Department of Public Safety (April 4, 2024)
dps.usc.edu
archived copy
Official
Timely Warnings Archives - USC Department of Public Safety
dps.usc.edu
archived copy

Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Southern California: Knifepoint robbery at an ATM near campus prompts a timely warning." Incident of April 4, 2024. Added April 2026; last updated September 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/usc-atm-robbery-2024-04-04/

Download case JSON

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

Alert Sequence

How the first alert is built

Background

Key Findings

Sources

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