Gunman opened fire in the Student Union, killing two and wounding six

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.

• Sourcepresent17/25

  Final assessment

  Strong majority: 'Police are on scene or on the way' identifies the responding authority; a minority felt no issuing agency or branded system was named, but most credited the police reference as sufficient source identification.

  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: 'Police are on scene or on the way' identifies responding authority.
  2. present: 'Police are on scene or on the way' identifies responding authority.
  3. absent: No sender/agency named, just describes police response generically without branding.
  4. present: References police being on scene as the responding authority.
  5. absent: No sender name, agency, or branded signature identified in the text.
  6. absent: No sender/agency named, only 'Police are on scene' referencing generic police, but no issuing authority identified.
  7. present: 'Police are on scene' identifies responding authority.
  8. present: 'Police are on scene' identifies responding authority.
  9. present: Mentions 'Police are on scene', identifying responding authority.
  10. present: References Police on scene, implying alerting authority
  11. present: Police are named as responding.
  12. present: Police identified as responding authority.
  13. present: Mentions Police on scene or on the way responding.
  14. present: Mentions 'Police are on scene or on the way' as the responding authority.
  15. absent: No sender or authority explicitly named, only 'Police are on scene'.
  16. present: References "Police" as the responding authority.
  17. absent: No sender/agency named, only a generic link with no branded alert name or authority identified.
  18. present: 'Police are on scene or on the way' identifies responding authority.
  19. present: 'Police are on scene or on the way' implies police authority.
  20. present: "Police are on scene or on the way" identifies responding authority
  21. present: References 'Police' as responding, identifying the responding authority.
  22. absent: No sender or authority named, only mentions police responding, not identifying the issuing system.
  23. absent: No sender identity or agency named, only 'Police are on scene'.
  24. absent: No sender name, agency, or branded alert signature appears in the text.
  25. present: 'Police are on scene' names responding authority.
• Hazardpresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Unanimous: names an active shooter as the specific hazard.

  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: 'active shooter' named.
  2. present: 'active shooter' named specifically.
  3. present: 'active shooter' named specifically.
  4. present: Names an active shooter specifically.
  5. present: 'active shooter has been reported' names the hazard.
  6. present: 'An active shooter has been reported' names the hazard.
  7. present: 'active shooter' explicitly named.
  8. present: 'active shooter' named.
  9. present: Names 'active shooter'.
  10. present: Names "active shooter" as the hazard
  11. present: Active shooter is a specific named hazard.
  12. present: Active shooter named explicitly.
  13. present: Names 'active shooter'.
  14. present: States 'active shooter'.
  15. present: Active shooter named as the threat.
  16. present: Names "active shooter."
  17. present: 'An active shooter has been reported'.
  18. present: 'active shooter' specifically named.
  19. present: Active shooter named.
  20. present: "active shooter" specified
  21. present: Names 'active shooter' as the specific threat.
  22. present: Names an active shooter.
  23. present: 'active shooter' names the hazard.
  24. present: States 'An active shooter has been reported'.
  25. present: 'active shooter' named.
• Locationpresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Unanimous: names the area of the Student Union.

  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: 'area of Student Union' named.
  2. present: 'area of Student Union' named.
  3. present: 'area of Student Union'.
  4. present: Area of Student Union specified.
  5. present: 'area of Student Union' specified.
  6. present: 'area of Student Union' specified.
  7. present: 'area of Student Union'.
  8. present: 'area of Student Union.'
  9. present: 'in the area of Student Union'.
  10. present: Names area of Student Union
  11. present: Names area of Student Union.
  12. present: Area of Student Union specified.
  13. present: Names area of Student Union.
  14. present: Names 'area of Student Union'.
  15. present: Area of Student Union specified.
  16. present: Names "the area of Student Union."
  17. present: 'area of Student Union'.
  18. present: 'area of Student Union' named.
  19. present: 'area of Student Union'.
  20. present: "area of Student Union"
  21. present: Names the 'area of Student Union.'
  22. present: Area of Student Union specified.
  23. present: 'area of Student Union' given.
  24. present: Names 'the area of Student Union'.
  25. present: 'area of Student Union' given.
• Guidancepresent25/25

  Final assessment

  Unanimous: instructs recipients to seek shelter, lock doors, and stay away from doors and windows.

  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: 'seek shelter', 'Lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  2. present: 'Continue to seek shelter...Lock and stay away from all doors and windows.'
  3. present: 'seek shelter', 'Lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  4. present: Tells recipients to seek shelter, lock doors, stay away from windows.
  5. present: 'seek shelter', 'lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  6. present: 'Continue to seek shelter... Lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  7. present: 'seek shelter', 'Lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  8. present: 'seek shelter', 'Lock and stay away from all doors and windows.'
  9. present: Instructs to seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors/windows.
  10. present: Instructs to seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors and windows
  11. present: Instructs to seek shelter, lock doors, and stay away from windows.
  12. present: Seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors and windows.
  13. present: Instructs to seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors and windows.
  14. present: Instructs to 'seek shelter', 'lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  15. present: Instructs to seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors/windows.
  16. present: Instructs to "seek shelter," lock doors/windows, stay away from them.
  17. present: 'seek shelter', 'Lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  18. present: 'seek shelter,' 'lock and stay away from all doors and windows.'
  19. present: Seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors/windows.
  20. present: "Continue to seek shelter," "Lock and stay away from all doors and windows"
  21. present: Instructs to seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors and windows.
  22. present: Instructs to seek shelter, lock and stay away from doors and windows.
  23. present: 'seek shelter', 'Lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  24. present: Instructs to 'seek shelter', 'Lock and stay away from all doors and windows'.
  25. present: Seek shelter, lock doors, stay away from windows.
• Timeabsent0/25

  Final assessment

  Unanimous: no clock time, date, or recency marker is given.

  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. absent: No clock time given, though 'Continue' implies ongoing.
  2. absent: No clock time or recency word given.
  3. absent: No clock time or recency marker given.
  4. absent: No clock time or date given.
  5. absent: No clock time or date given.
  6. absent: No clock time given, though implied ongoing.
  7. absent: No clock time or date given, only 'Continue' implying ongoing.
  8. absent: No clock time or explicit recency stated.
  9. absent: No clock time or date given.
  10. absent: No clock time or date given, only "reported"
  11. absent: No clock time or explicit recency word given.
  12. absent: No clock time or date, only 'continue'.
  13. absent: No clock time or date, only implied immediacy without explicit marker like 'now'.
  14. absent: No clock time or date given.
  15. absent: No time or date given.
  16. absent: No clock time or date given.
  17. absent: No clock time or recency term given.
  18. absent: No clock time or recency word given.
  19. absent: No clock time or date given.
  20. absent: No clock time or recency marker beyond present tense report
  21. absent: No clock time or date given.
  22. absent: No clock time or date given.
  23. absent: No clock time or explicit recency marker present.
  24. absent: No clock time or date provided.
  25. absent: No clock time or date given.
• Impactabsent0/25

  Final assessment

  Unanimous: no explicit consequence or severity is stated beyond naming the hazard.

  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: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond the hazard name.
  2. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond the hazard name.
  3. absent: No explicit statement of danger/consequence beyond the hazard name.
  4. absent: No stated consequence beyond naming the hazard.
  5. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond the hazard name.
  6. absent: No stated consequence of danger explicitly, though implied by shooter context.
  7. absent: No explicit statement of harm, only hazard named.
  8. absent: No explicit statement of harm, only hazard and instructions.
  9. absent: No stated consequence, only hazard name and instructions.
  10. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond the hazard name
  11. absent: No explicit statement of danger or consequence.
  12. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond hazard name.
  13. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm severity beyond the hazard name.
  14. absent: No stated consequence or severity beyond generic 'protective measures'.
  15. absent: No explicit statement of harm or severity beyond hazard name.
  16. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond the hazard name.
  17. absent: No explicit statement of what harm could occur.
  18. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond the hazard itself.
  19. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond the hazard itself.
  20. absent: No stated harm/consequence beyond hazard name
  21. absent: No stated consequence beyond naming the hazard.
  22. absent: No stated consequence beyond the hazard itself.
  23. absent: No explicit statement of danger beyond the hazard name.
  24. absent: No stated potential harm beyond the hazard name.
  25. absent: No explicit statement of harm/severity beyond naming hazard.