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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
1
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

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 ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim2319 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.
Verify this quote
U-M DPSS Crime Alertnews.dpss.umich.edufind archived copies
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

    Unanimous: identifies AAPD (Ann Arbor Police Department) as the alert agency, with University of Michigan Police's Special Victims Unit also referenced.

    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: Issued by 'The AAPD' and 'Division of Public Safety & Security'.
    2. present: 'AAPD' and 'University of Michigan Police Department's Special Victims Unit' named
    3. present: Issued by AAPD (Ann Arbor Police Department), 'Alert Agency: AAPD'.
    4. present: 'AAPD' (Ann Arbor Police Department) and University of Michigan Police named as issuing/investigating agencies.
    5. present: AAPD is named as the investigating agency.
    6. present: Identifies 'AAPD' as the agency.
    7. present: 'AAPD' (Ann Arbor Police Department) identified as issuing agency.
    8. present: Names 'AAPD' (Ann Arbor Police Department) as the issuing agency.
    9. present: Identifies 'AAPD' as reporting agency and 'University of Michigan Police Department's Special Victims Unit.'
    10. present: 'Alert Agency: AAPD' names Ann Arbor Police Department.
    11. present: Issued by AAPD (Ann Arbor Police Department).
    12. present: 'AAPD' and 'Division of Public Safety & Security' identify issuing agencies.
    13. present: 'AAPD 24-10556' and 'Division of Public Safety & Security' named.
    14. present: Issued by 'AAPD' (Ann Arbor Police Department), named explicitly.
    15. present: Identifies Ann Arbor Police Department (AAPD) as agency and includes tip contacts.
    16. present: Issued by AAPD and 'University of Michigan Police Department's Special Victims Unit'.
    17. present: 'Alert Agency: AAPD' names Ann Arbor Police Department.
    18. present: Identifies 'AAPD' and references University of Michigan Police Department's Special Victims Unit.
    19. present: Identified as 'AAPD' Ann Arbor Police Department and University of Michigan DPSS.
    20. present: 'AAPD' Ann Arbor Police Department and 'University of Michigan Police Department's Special Victims Unit' identify agencies.
    21. present: Issued by 'AAPD' and 'Division of Public Safety & Security'.
    22. present: Identifies 'AAPD' and 'University of Michigan Police Department's Special Victims Unit'
    23. present: Issued by 'AAPD' with 'Alert Agency' field.
    24. present: Identifies 'AAPD' agency and 'University of Michigan Police Department' Chief statement.
    25. present: Issued by AAPD and 'University of Michigan Police Department's Special Victims Unit'.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: states the offense as Sexual Assault.

    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: Names 'Sexual Assault'.
    2. present: 'Sexual Assault' named as offense
    3. present: States 'Offense: Sexual Assault'.
    4. present: 'Sexual Assault' explicitly named as offense.
    5. present: Offense listed as 'Sexual Assault'.
    6. present: Names 'Sexual Assault'.
    7. present: 'Sexual Assault' offense specifically named.
    8. present: States 'Offense: Sexual Assault'.
    9. present: States 'Sexual Assault' as the offense.
    10. present: 'Offense: Sexual Assault' names hazard.
    11. present: Names 'Sexual Assault' as the offense.
    12. present: Names 'Sexual Assault' as the offense.
    13. present: 'Offense: Sexual Assault'.
    14. present: States offense type 'Sexual Assault'.
    15. present: States offense 'Sexual Assault' specifically.
    16. present: States offense 'Sexual Assault'.
    17. present: 'Offense: Sexual Assault' names the hazard.
    18. present: States offense 'Sexual Assault'.
    19. present: States 'Sexual Assault' offense.
    20. present: 'Sexual Assault' names specific offense.
    21. present: Names offense 'Sexual Assault'.
    22. present: States 'Sexual Assault'
    23. present: Offense listed as 'Sexual Assault'.
    24. present: States 'Sexual Assault' offense.
    25. present: States 'Sexual Assault'.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: gives the 1000 block of Vaughn Street, Ann Arbor.

    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: Gives 'the 1000 block of Vaughn Street'.
    2. present: '1000 block of Vaughn Street' named
    3. present: Names 1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor.
    4. present: '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI' specified.
    5. present: Names the 1000 block of Vaughn Street.
    6. present: Gives '1000 block of Vaughn Street'.
    7. present: '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI' given.
    8. present: Gives '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104'.
    9. present: Gives '1000 block of Vaughn Street, Ann Arbor.'
    10. present: '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI'.
    11. present: Gives '1000 block of Vaughn Street' as location.
    12. present: Gives '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.'
    13. present: '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104'.
    14. present: Gives '1000 block of Vaughn Street'.
    15. present: Gives location '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI'.
    16. present: Gives '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor'.
    17. present: 1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor named.
    18. present: Gives location '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104'.
    19. present: Gives '1000 block of Vaughn Street'.
    20. present: '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI' gives specific location.
    21. present: Gives location '1000 block of Vaughn Street'.
    22. present: Names '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI'
    23. present: Gives '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor, MI'.
    24. present: Gives '1000 block of Vaughn Street, Ann Arbor'.
    25. present: Names '1000 Blk Vaughn St, Ann Arbor'.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: lists concrete safety tips such as walking with a trusted friend and calling 911.

    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: Gives safety tips like 'Walk with a trusted friend' and 'Call 911'.
    2. present: 'Be aware of your surroundings', 'Walk with a trusted friend'
    3. present: Lists safety tips like walk with a trusted friend and call 911.
    4. present: Safety tips like 'Be aware of your surroundings' and 'Call 911' are protective actions.
    5. present: Provides safety tips such as walking with a trusted friend and calling 911.
    6. present: Provides safety tips like walking with a friend and calling 911.
    7. present: 'Be aware of your surroundings', 'Walk with a trusted friend', 'Call 911' are protective actions.
    8. present: Lists safety tips like 'Walk with a trusted friend' and 'Call 911'.
    9. present: Provides safety tips like walking with a trusted friend, calling 911.
    10. present: Safety tips like 'walk with a trusted friend' and 'call 911'.
    11. present: Safety tips include walking with a friend and trusting intuition.
    12. present: Tips include 'Walk with a trusted friend' and 'Call 911.'
    13. present: 'Be aware of your surroundings', 'Walk with a trusted friend'.
    14. present: Lists safety tips like walking with a friend and trusting intuition.
    15. present: Provides safety tips like walking with a friend, trusting intuition, calling 911.
    16. present: Lists safety tips like 'Be aware of your surroundings' and 'Call 911'.
    17. present: Safety tips like 'walk with a trusted friend' and 'call 911'.
    18. present: Advises 'Be aware of your surroundings' and 'Call 911'.
    19. present: Lists safety tips like 'Be aware of your surroundings' and 'Call 911'.
    20. present: 'Be aware of your surroundings', 'Walk with a trusted friend' give protective actions.
    21. present: Lists safety tips like 'Walk with a trusted friend' and 'Call 911'.
    22. present: Provides safety tips like 'Be aware of your surroundings' and 'Call 911'
    23. present: Provides tips like 'Walk with a trusted friend' and 'Call 911'.
    24. present: Lists tips like 'Be aware of your surroundings' and 'Call 911'.
    25. present: Provides safety tips like 'Be aware of your surroundings' and 'Call 911'.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: 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: 'March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    3. present: Gives March 9, 2024, approximately 2:15 a.m.
    4. present: 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.' given.
    5. present: States March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.
    6. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.'.
    7. present: 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.' given.
    8. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'.
    9. present: States 'March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    10. present: 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    11. present: Gives March 9, 2024, approximately 2:15 a.m. as occurrence time.
    12. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    13. present: 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    14. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.'.
    15. present: Gives specific date and time 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    16. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    17. present: 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.' given.
    18. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    19. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    20. present: 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.' gives specific date/time.
    21. present: Gives date/time 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'.
    22. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    23. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    24. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024 at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
    25. present: Gives 'March 9, 2024, at approximately 2:15 a.m.'
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: describes the offense itself but states no forward-looking harm or severity to recipients.

    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 or severity.
    2. absent: describes act but no stated severity/consequence beyond the offense itself
    3. absent: No stated harm beyond describing the groping incident; no severity framing.
    4. absent: No stated potential harm beyond describing the assault occurred.
    5. absent: No stated potential harm beyond the offense description.
    6. absent: No stated potential harm beyond the assault description.
    7. absent: No stated severity or potential consequence to readers beyond describing the offense.
    8. absent: Describes the act itself but no explicit statement of broader danger or severity.
    9. absent: Describes the act but no stated severity or potential harm beyond the offense name.
    10. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm severity beyond describing the assault itself.
    11. absent: No stated consequence beyond naming the offense.
    12. absent: Describes the assault but no explicit statement of ongoing danger or severity.
    13. absent: No stated potential harm beyond naming the crime.
    14. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm to recipients.
    15. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm beyond describing the offense itself.
    16. absent: No stated harm or severity beyond describing the assault itself.
    17. absent: No stated severity beyond the offense classification; victim details lack harm statement.
    18. absent: No explicit statement of consequence or severity beyond the assault description.
    19. absent: Describes the crime but no explicit statement of ongoing danger or severity.
    20. absent: No stated consequence beyond the offense description itself.
    21. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm or severity beyond the offense.
    22. absent: No stated potential harm beyond describing the assault itself
    23. absent: No explicit statement of potential harm or severity conveyed.
    24. absent: No explicit statement of severity or potential harm beyond describing the assault.
    25. absent: No explicit statement of potential future harm beyond describing the assault itself.

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

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.

  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