{
  "id": "2023-11-28-american-university-nebraska-ave-armed-robbery",
  "slug": "american-university-nebraska-ave-armed-robbery-2023-11-28",
  "institution": {
    "name": "American University",
    "shortName": "AU",
    "state": "DC",
    "type": "private-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "AU Alerts",
    "enrollment": 14000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2023-11-28",
    "type": "robbery",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "headline": "Student assaulted and robbed by three suspects, one armed, at a shuttle stop",
    "headlinePublic": "Student assaulted and robbed by three suspects, one armed, at a shuttle stop",
    "summary": "On November 28, 2023, around 9 p.m., an [American University student was assaulted and robbed by three suspects, one armed with a firearm, at the AU shuttle stop in front of the Department of Homeland Security headquarters](https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2023/11/breaking-student-reports-assault-armed-robbery-at-shuttle-stop) in the 3700 block of Nebraska Avenue NW, adjacent to American University's main campus. The suspects fled in a gray sedan. [AU Police](https://www.american.edu/police/) issued a Clery [timely warning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clery_Act) crime alert that evening, the second Nebraska Avenue robbery alert in three weeks.",
    "outcome": "Three suspects fled in a gray sedan. Investigation by AU Police and DC Metropolitan Police Department.",
    "resolution": "under-investigation"
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Evening of November 28, 2023",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "Crime Alert: Armed Robbery, Assault in 3700 Block of Nebraska Ave. NW, Nov. 28, 2023\n\nAn armed robbery and assault of an American University student occurred on November 28 at approximately 9 p.m. on the 3700 block of Nebraska Ave. NW at the WMATA bus stop directly in front of the Department of Homeland Security.\n\nThe subjects appeared to be three males in grey hooded sweatshirts, one was armed with a firearm, and all of whom fled the scene in a gray sedan.\n\nIf you have any information or witnessed suspicious activity, the American University Police Department can be reached at (202) 885-3636 or 911 for the Metropolitan Police Department.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.american.edu/finance/memos/armed-robbery-assault-in-3700-block-of-nebraska-ave-nov-28-2023.cfm",
      "sourceDescription": "American University Crime Alert Memo, Nov. 28, 2023",
      "annotations": [
        "Verbatim text recovered from the official AU Crime Alert memo (american.edu/finance/memos/armed-robbery-assault-in-3700-block-of-nebraska-ave-nov-28-2023) via cached search snippets",
        "The 3700 block of Nebraska Avenue NW is immediately adjacent to AU's main campus (Tenleytown/Spring Valley); the AU shuttle stop in front of the Department of Homeland Security headquarters across from Nebraska Hall is a key transit pickup point",
        "Three suspects in grey hoodies, one armed with a handgun, fled in a gray sedan, the multi-suspect, vehicle-getaway pattern distinguishes this from solo robberies in the same corridor",
        "This was the second armed-robbery alert on Nebraska Avenue in three weeks, a [November 10 robbery](https://www.american.edu/finance/memos/crime-alert-robbery-in-3900-block-of-nebraska-ave-nw.cfm) had occurred two blocks west",
        "AUPD's standard crime-alert template uses the headline format 'CRIME ALERT: [Crime], [Block] of [Street]'",
        "The (202) 885-3636 number is AUPD's 24-hour emergency dispatch line"
      ],
      "characterCount": 646
    }
  ],
  "context": "American University's main campus sits at the western edge of Washington, DC, in the [Spring Valley/Tenleytown neighborhood](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Valley_(Washington,_D.C.)). Many of AU's crime alerts involve [robberies along the Nebraska Avenue corridor](https://www.american.edu/police/timely-safety-warnings.cfm) and adjacent residential streets. AU's [Police Department](https://www.american.edu/police/) is one of a handful of fully sworn university police forces in the District, with concurrent jurisdiction with the [DC Metropolitan Police](https://mpdc.dc.gov/). The November 28, 2023 robbery was part of a fall 2023 cluster, a [November 10 robbery](https://www.american.edu/finance/memos/crime-alert-robbery-in-3900-block-of-nebraska-ave-nw.cfm) two blocks west prompted a similar Clery alert. The two-warning sequence demonstrates how the [Clery Act's continuing-threat standard](https://www.clerycenter.org/the-clery-act) applies when the same neighborhood is targeted repeatedly: each new incident regenerates the obligation, even when prior alerts have already been issued.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "AU's crime-alert template centers Clery compliance language at the top of every notification",
    "The 3700 and 3900 blocks of Nebraska Avenue NW were a fall 2023 robbery cluster",
    "AUPD's concurrent jurisdiction with DC Metropolitan Police is reflected in dual investigation language",
    "Repeat alerts in the same corridor demonstrate Clery's recurring continuing-threat obligation"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Crime Alert: Armed Robbery, Assault in 3700 Block of Nebraska Ave. NW, Nov. 28, 2023 — American University",
      "url": "https://www.american.edu/finance/memos/armed-robbery-assault-in-3700-block-of-nebraska-ave-nov-28-2023.cfm",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "BREAKING: Student reports assault, armed robbery at shuttle stop — The Eagle",
      "url": "https://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2023/11/breaking-student-reports-assault-armed-robbery-at-shuttle-stop",
      "type": "student-newspaper"
    },
    {
      "title": "Crime Alert: Robbery in 3900 Block of Nebraska Ave. NW (Nov 10, 2023) — American University",
      "url": "https://www.american.edu/finance/memos/crime-alert-robbery-in-3900-block-of-nebraska-ave-nw.cfm",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "Timely Safety Warnings — American University Police",
      "url": "https://www.american.edu/police/timely-safety-warnings.cfm",
      "type": "official-archive"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "robbery",
    "armed-robbery",
    "timely-warning",
    "private-r1",
    "washington-dc",
    "off-campus-perimeter",
    "clery-compliance"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-03",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-16",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}