{
  "id": "2024-05-08-msu-bozeman-student-apartments-sexual-assault",
  "slug": "msu-bozeman-student-apartments-sexual-assault-2024-05-08",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Montana State University",
    "shortName": "MSU",
    "state": "MT",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "MSU Alert",
    "alertPlatform": "Everbridge",
    "enrollment": 17000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2024-05-08",
    "type": "sexual-assault",
    "cleryCategory": "timely-warning",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "headline": "Sexual assault report, May 8, 2024",
    "summary": "Just after 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, [Montana State University Police](https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/look-out-montana-state-university-police-issue-timely-warnings-about-alleged-drugging-incidents/article_51ba86b1-1711-4082-a2da-caae2074d68e.html) received a report of a sexual assault that had occurred outside a residential building within MSU's University Student Apartments. An unknown male wearing all black grabbed and groped the victim before fleeing on foot. MSU issued a Clery timely warning describing the suspect and asking the community to call Bozeman Police Detective Sergeant Joseph Swanson or Crimestoppers. The suspect was [later identified, trespassed from campus, and cited for assault and attempted surreptitious observation](https://www.montana.edu/police/crimealert.html).",
    "outcome": "Suspect was identified, trespassed from campus, and cited by Bozeman Police for assault and attempted surreptitious observation. Bozeman PD already had a separate open case on the same individual and issued an additional citation for surreptitious observation.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 0,
      "injured": 1
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestamp": "2024-05-08T18:00:00-06:00",
      "timestampApprox": "Evening of Wednesday, May 8, 2024 (within hours of the 5:00 p.m. incident)",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "Timely Warning: Sexual Assault\n\n This Timely Warning is being issued in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure\n of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). The purpose\n is to provide preventative information to the campus community to aid members from\n becoming the victim of a similar crime.\n\n Earlier today, Montana State University Police received a report of sexual assault\n that occurred outside of a residential building within University Student Apartments\n on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, just after 5:00 p.m. Though limited information is available,\n the unknown suspect was said to be a male wearing all black and fled on foot after\n grabbing and groping the victim. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged\n to contact University Police at (406) 994-2121.\n\n Montana State University’s top priority is the safety and wellbeing of all members\n of the campus community, and we encourage you to consider the following:\n\n \n • Sexual assault is never the fault of the survivor. Responsibility lies with the perpetrator.\n No one deserves, asks for, or provokes sexual assault.\n\n \n \n • If you are uncomfortable walking alone call MSU Police for a Safety Escort at 406-994-2121.\n\n \n \n • Consider using the Friend Walk feature in the SafeCats app that allows users to share\n their location with someone they trust, who can then watch to make sure they arrive\n at their destination safely.\n\n • The MSU VOICE Center offers resources and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault,\n relationship violence, and stalking. Advocates can be reached 24/7 via call or text\n at 406.944.7069.\n\n \n The Office of Institutional Equity and MSU VOICE Center provide resources and reporting options for victims of domestic violence, dating\n violence, and stalking. Reports to law enforcement can be made anonymously using the\n Silent Witness program, accessible through the SafeCats app, or by emailing silentwitness@montana.edu. MSU’s Office of Counseling Psychological Services can also provide resources and services for victims of relationship violence or stalking.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.montana.edu/police/crimealert.html",
      "sourceDescription": "MSU Police Crime Alerts archive — Timely Warning Sexual Assault (May 2024)",
      "annotations": [
        "Issued via the MSU Alert (Everbridge) emergency-notification platform and posted to the MSU University Police Crime Alerts page",
        "The May 8 timing (eight days after MSU's end-of-spring-semester finals) fell during a quieter campus period when many students had returned home, illustrating that Clery warnings continue during summer Clery geography",
        "University Student Apartments is MSU's primary undergraduate and graduate family-housing complex on the southeast side of the Bozeman campus; the residential location placed the incident squarely within MSU's Clery geography",
        "The Bozeman Daily Chronicle later reported the suspect had been identified, trespassed from campus, and cited for both assault and a separate count of surreptitious observation",
        "MSU and Bozeman Police jurisdictionally split coverage: MSU Police investigated the on-campus elements; Bozeman PD's Detective Division led the criminal investigation"
      ],
      "characterCount": 2095
    }
  ],
  "context": "On Wednesday afternoon, May 8, 2024, just after 5:00 p.m. MDT, [Montana State University Police](https://www.montana.edu/police/) received a report that a male wearing all black had grabbed and groped a woman outside a residential building within MSU's [University Student Apartments](https://www.montana.edu/reslife/) on the Bozeman campus, then fled on foot. MSU issued a Clery [Timely Warning](https://www.montana.edu/police/crimealert.html) the same evening through the MSU Alert system, describing the suspect and asking the community to contact [Bozeman Police Detective Sergeant Joseph Swanson](https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/look-out-montana-state-university-police-issue-timely-warnings-about-alleged-drugging-incidents/article_51ba86b1-1711-4082-a2da-caae2074d68e.html) or Crimestoppers with information. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported that the suspect was [identified, trespassed from MSU campus, and cited for both assault and attempted surreptitious observation](https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/look-out-montana-state-university-police-issue-timely-warnings-about-alleged-drugging-incidents/article_51ba86b1-1711-4082-a2da-caae2074d68e.html); Bozeman Police had a separate open case on the same individual and issued an additional citation for surreptitious observation. The case illustrates how MSU's Everbridge-based MSU Alert system can dispatch Clery warnings within hours of an incident, even during the slower late-spring period after final exams.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "MSU issued the timely warning within hours of the 5:00 p.m. incident, illustrating Everbridge-platform institutions' ability to push Clery alerts on a near-real-time schedule",
    "The suspect was identified, trespassed, and criminally charged after the timely warning, suggesting the community-wide notice may have generated leads",
    "Stranger sexual assault timely warnings (with suspect descriptions) remain the most common Clery sexual-assault disclosure type, even though acquaintance assaults are statistically more frequent",
    "Two parallel investigations (MSU Police for the on-campus elements; Bozeman PD's Detective Division for the criminal case) reflect Montana's common shared-jurisdiction model for university-affiliated crimes"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Crime Alerts (Montana State University Police)",
      "url": "https://www.montana.edu/police/crimealert.html",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "'Look out': Montana State University police issue 'timely' warnings about alleged drugging incidents (Bozeman Daily Chronicle)",
      "url": "https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/look-out-montana-state-university-police-issue-timely-warnings-about-alleged-drugging-incidents/article_51ba86b1-1711-4082-a2da-caae2074d68e.html",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "MSU Alert (Montana State University)",
      "url": "https://www.montana.edu/msualert/",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "Prior Notification Incidents — MSU Alert",
      "url": "https://www.montana.edu/msualert/prior-notifications/index.html",
      "type": "official-archive"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "sexual-assault",
    "timely-warning",
    "stranger-assault",
    "montana",
    "msu-bozeman",
    "university-student-apartments",
    "everbridge",
    "trespassed",
    "post-warning-identification"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-14",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-17",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}