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PCC

Timely warning after an attempted kidnapping reported inside a campus building

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Under Investigation

At approximately 3:50 PM PST on November 16, 2021, an attempted kidnap was reported in the R Building, third floor, at Pasadena City College's main campus. The suspect was described as a disheveled white male in his 30s with a thin build, acne, and a shaved head. PCC Campus Police issued Timely Warning bulletin DR #2021-00129 and requested public assistance identifying the suspect. No arrest was publicly reported.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Pasadena City College
Community College · CA
All PCC cases →
~25,000 students
Official alert policy
Read when and how PCC says it will use Rave 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 ALERTWebsite
Verified verbatim1630 chars
Timely Warning - Attempted Kidnap Type of Crime: Attempted Kidnap DR #2021-00129 Date and Time of Incident: November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m. Incident Location: Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor Suspect Description: Male White, in his 30's, 5'8”, thin build, acne on his face, shaved head, no facial hair. Suspect was wearing a faded black hooded sweater and faded blue baggie jeans. The suspect was described as dirty and wearing disheveled clothing. Possibly a transient. Incident Details: At approximately 3:50 p.m., an attempted kidnap occurred in front of a classroom in the R building, on the third floor. As the victim was about to enter a classroom, the suspect was passing by and confronted the victim by grabbing her wrist and attempting to pull her away from the door. The victim was eventually able to free herself from the suspect and entered her classroom. The suspect was startled by the presence of other students in the classroom and fled the area. The suspect is not known to the victim. The victim described the suspect as a male White in his 30s, 5’8”, thin build, acne on his face, shaved head, and no facial hair. The suspect was wearing a faded black hooded sweater and faded blue baggy jeans. The victim believes the suspect was a transient because his clothing was disheveled and dirty. As a reminder, always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions, especially at night or in remote areas. If you have any information regarding this crime, please call Campus Police at 626-585-7484 or 9-1-1 from any emergency call box on campus.
Verify this quote
PCC Campus Police Official Timely Warning Bulletin DR #2021-00129pasadena.edufind archived copies
Verbatim from the official PCC Campus Police timely warning bulletin, case number DR #2021-00129, posted to the PCC Police and College Safety website
The R Building is a classroom building on PCC's main campus at 1570 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, California; the incident occurred in a classroom corridor during afternoon instructional hours when the campus was populated
The description 'possibly a transient' reflects a common campus safety classification that may indicate the suspect was not affiliated with the institution; this terminology has been critiqued in campus safety literature as potentially stigmatizing but is historically standard in official bulletins
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.

Timely Warning - Attempted Kidnap Type of Crime: Attempted Kidnap DR #2021-00129 Date and Time of Incident: November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m. Incident Location: Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor Suspect Description: Male White, in his 30's, 5'8”, thin build, acne on his face, shaved head, no facial hair. Suspect was wearing a faded black hooded sweater and faded blue baggie jeans. The suspect was described as dirty and wearing disheveled clothing. Possibly a transient. Incident Details: At approximately 3:50 p.m., an attempted kidnap occurred in front of a classroom in the R building, on the third floor. As the victim was about to enter a classroom, the suspect was passing by and confronted the victim by grabbing her wrist and attempting to pull her away from the door. The victim was eventually able to free herself from the suspect and entered her classroom. The suspect was startled by the presence of other students in the classroom and fled the area. The suspect is not known to the victim. The victim described the suspect as a male White in his 30s, 5’8”, thin build, acne on his face, shaved head, and no facial hair. The suspect was wearing a faded black hooded sweater and faded blue baggy jeans. The victim believes the suspect was a transient because his clothing was disheveled and dirty. As a reminder, always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions, especially at night or in remote areas. If you have any information regarding this crime, please call Campus Police at 626-585-7484 or 9-1-1 from any emergency call box on campus.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it is headed "Timely Warning" for Pasadena City College and directs tips to "Campus Police".

    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: It directs information to "Campus Police" at a listed number, naming the responsible agency.
    2. present: The notice is a 'Timely Warning' that directs readers to 'call Campus Police', identifying the issuing department.
    3. present: It is a "Timely Warning" that directs information to "Campus Police" at Pasadena City College, naming the authority.
    4. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' that directs information to 'Campus Police' at Pasadena City College.
    5. present: The 'Timely Warning' directs readers to 'Campus Police' and carries a department report number, identifying the issuer.
    6. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' that directs tips to 'Campus Police', naming the issuing agency.
    7. present: It directs readers to call 'Campus Police' and is a Pasadena City College timely warning, identifying the responding agency.
    8. present: It is a Timely Warning that directs information to Campus Police at Pasadena City College, identifying the authority.
    9. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' that directs information to 'Campus Police', identifying the responding authority.
    10. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' that directs information to 'Campus Police', identifying the issuing agency.
    11. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' naming Pasadena City College and directing tips to 'Campus Police', identifying the authority.
    12. present: It directs readers to 'call Campus Police' and is a Timely Warning with a department report number.
    13. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' that directs information to 'Campus Police', identifying the issuing police authority.
    14. present: Titled 'Timely Warning', it names Pasadena City College and directs contact to Campus Police, identifying the institution.
    15. present: The "Timely Warning" names Campus Police as the contact and reports its DR number, identifying the issuing police.
    16. present: The notice directs tips to 'Campus Police', identifying the Pasadena City College police as the issuing authority.
    17. present: It directs readers to call 'Campus Police' and is a Pasadena City College timely warning, identifying the source.
    18. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' that refers readers to 'Campus Police', identifying the responding agency.
    19. present: The Timely Warning directs people to call Campus Police, identifying the police department as the source.
    20. present: The 'Timely Warning' refers readers to 'Campus Police', identifying the issuing authority.
    21. present: It is a Timely Warning that directs people to 'call Campus Police', identifying Pasadena City College police as the source.
    22. present: This 'Timely Warning' directs tips to 'Campus Police', identifying the police authority responsible for the notice.
    23. present: The 'Timely Warning' directs readers to 'Campus Police', naming the issuing police authority.
    24. present: The 'Timely Warning' directs tips to 'Campus Police', identifying the Pasadena City College police as the source.
    25. present: It is a 'Timely Warning' naming Pasadena City College and directing reports to 'Campus Police'.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it names an "Attempted Kidnap" in which the suspect grabbed the victim's wrist.

    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: It is headed "Timely Warning - Attempted Kidnap" and describes a suspect grabbing a victim's wrist.
    2. present: It names 'Attempted Kidnap' as the type of crime, describing a suspect grabbing a student's wrist.
    3. present: It names an "Attempted Kidnap" in which the suspect grabbed a victim's wrist and tried to pull her away.
    4. present: It names the crime as 'Attempted Kidnap', a specific threat.
    5. present: It names 'Attempted Kidnap' as the type of crime, in which a suspect grabbed a student's wrist.
    6. present: It names an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which the suspect grabbed the victim's wrist.
    7. present: It names the crime as 'Attempted Kidnap', in which a suspect grabbed a victim's wrist, a specific threat.
    8. present: It names an Attempted Kidnap as the type of crime, describing a suspect grabbing a student's wrist to pull her away.
    9. present: It names the crime as 'Attempted Kidnap', in which a suspect grabbed the victim's wrist, a specific threat.
    10. present: It names an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which a suspect grabbed the victim's wrist.
    11. present: It names the crime as 'Attempted Kidnap', a specific threat against a student rather than a generic incident.
    12. present: It names the crime 'Attempted Kidnap' in which a suspect grabbed a victim's wrist.
    13. present: It names an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which a suspect grabbed a student's wrist and tried to pull her away.
    14. present: It names 'Attempted Kidnap', describing a suspect grabbing the victim's wrist and pulling her away.
    15. present: It names an "Attempted Kidnap" in which the suspect grabbed a victim's wrist and tried to pull her away.
    16. present: It names the crime as 'Attempted Kidnap', where a suspect grabbed a victim's wrist and tried to pull her away.
    17. present: It names an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which a suspect grabbed a student's wrist, a specific threat.
    18. present: It names the crime as an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which a suspect grabbed a victim's wrist.
    19. present: It names an attempted kidnap in which the suspect grabbed a student's wrist.
    20. present: It names an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which a suspect grabbed a victim's wrist and tried to pull her away.
    21. present: It names the crime as 'Attempted Kidnap', in which a suspect grabbed a student's wrist and tried to pull her away.
    22. present: It names the crime as 'Attempted Kidnap', a specific threat.
    23. present: It names an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which the suspect grabbed a student's wrist.
    24. present: It is titled 'Attempted Kidnap' and describes a suspect grabbing a student's wrist to pull her away.
    25. present: It identifies the crime as an 'Attempted Kidnap' in which the suspect grabbed a student's wrist.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it gives "Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor", in front of a classroom.

    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: It gives "Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor", a precise building and floor location.
    2. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    3. present: It gives "Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor" as the location.
    4. present: It places the attempt at 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    5. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the incident location, a specific place.
    6. present: It places it at 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    7. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the location.
    8. present: It says the incident occurred at Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor.
    9. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the location.
    10. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the location.
    11. present: The incident was at 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor', in front of a classroom.
    12. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the location.
    13. present: It occurred at 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    14. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    15. present: It gives "Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor" as the precise incident location.
    16. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the incident location.
    17. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the incident location.
    18. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    19. present: It occurred on the Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor.
    20. present: The location is 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    21. present: It gives the location as 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    22. present: It locates the incident at 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    23. present: It gives 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor' as the precise place of the attempt.
    24. present: It gives the location as 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
    25. present: It gives the location as 'Pasadena City College Main Campus, R building, third floor'.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it tells readers to "always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions".

    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: It reminds readers to "always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions".
    2. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    3. present: It reminds readers to "always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs", a protective action.
    4. present: It tells readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    5. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs'.
    6. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    7. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    8. present: It reminds readers to 'travel in pairs or with trusted companions, especially at night'.
    9. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs', a protective instruction.
    10. present: It advises readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    11. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    12. present: It advises 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    13. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    14. present: It reminds people to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    15. present: It reminds readers to "always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs" as protective steps.
    16. present: It advises readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs', a protective action.
    17. present: It reminds readers to 'travel in pairs or with trusted companions, especially at night', a protective action.
    18. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    19. present: It reminds readers to be aware of surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions, especially at night.
    20. present: It advises 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    21. present: It reminds recipients to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    22. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
    23. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs'.
    24. present: It advises recipients to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs', a protective action.
    25. present: It reminds readers to 'always be aware of your surroundings and travel in pairs or with trusted companions'.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, unanimously: it gives "November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 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
    1. present: It states "November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m." as the date and time of the attempted kidnap.
    2. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident time.
    3. present: It gives "November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m." as the date and time.
    4. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    5. present: It lists the date and time of the incident as 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.'.
    6. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident time.
    7. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the date and time.
    8. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the date and time.
    9. present: It lists 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    10. present: It states 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    11. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    12. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    13. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    14. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident time.
    15. present: It gives the incident date and time as "November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m." in the header.
    16. present: It lists 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the date and time.
    17. present: It states 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the date and time of the incident.
    18. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the date and time.
    19. present: It gives November 16, 2021, approximately 3:50 p.m. as the incident date and time.
    20. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident time.
    21. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the date and time of the incident.
    22. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    23. present: It lists 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident time.
    24. present: It lists 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident date and time.
    25. present: It gives 'November 16, 2021, Approximately 3:50 p.m.' as the incident time.
  • Impactabsent1/25

    Final assessment

    Absent by near-consensus (24 of 25): it describes the attack but states no consequence or severity; one dissenter read "grabbing her wrist" as conveying physical harm.

    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: The victim freed herself, and the alert conveys no injury or explicit severity beyond the attempted kidnap.
    2. absent: It describes the grab and escape but states no injury or explicit danger level.
    3. absent: It describes the grab but says the victim freed herself, and states no potential consequence or severity for others.
    4. absent: It describes the suspect grabbing her wrist, but reports no weapon, injury, or explicit statement of danger or severity.
    5. absent: It describes the grab and escape but states no injury or severity to warn readers about.
    6. absent: The victim freed herself, and the text states no injury or explicit severity beyond describing the attempt.
    7. absent: It describes the suspect grabbing the victim's wrist but states no injury, consequence, or severity of the threat.
    8. absent: It describes the grab and escape but states no injury, danger level, or consequence beyond the attempt.
    9. absent: It describes the attempted abduction but does not state any consequence or severity, such as danger to others.
    10. absent: It narrates the victim freeing herself but states no injury, danger level, or consequence of the threat.
    11. present: It describes the suspect 'grabbing her wrist and attempting to pull her away', conveying physical force against the victim.
    12. absent: The victim freed herself, and the notice states no injury or severity statement beyond describing the attempt.
    13. absent: The victim freed herself and no injury or stated severity is conveyed beyond naming the attempted kidnap.
    14. absent: The victim freed herself and no injury or explicit severity statement appears in the text.
    15. absent: It describes the grab and escape but states no injury or explicit severity for recipients.
    16. absent: The victim freed herself and no injury or severity statement appears, so potential consequences are not conveyed.
    17. absent: It describes the grab and escape but states no injury or explicit severity of the threat.
    18. absent: The victim freed herself, and the text states no injury, danger level, or other consequence.
    19. absent: It describes the victim freeing herself but states no injury, danger level, or potential consequence.
    20. absent: The victim freed herself, and no injury or explicit severity statement appears in the warning.
    21. absent: It describes the attempt and the victim freeing herself but states no severity or potential consequence to others.
    22. absent: It describes the suspect grabbing the victim's wrist but states no injury or explicit severity to readers.
    23. absent: It describes the attempt but states no injury, danger level, or potential consequence.
    24. absent: It describes the grab and escape but does not state injury, danger level, or other consequences.
    25. absent: It describes the grab and escape but states no injury, consequence, or severity for the community.

Coded by Claude Opus 5.5

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

About this analysis
Context

Background

Pasadena City College is a large community college in Pasadena, California, located on a 53-acre main campus at Colorado Boulevard. The R Building is an academic classroom building in the main campus core. On November 16, 2021, at 3:50 PM PST -- mid-afternoon during active instructional hours -- an attempted kidnap was reported by a victim in a third-floor classroom corridor. PCC Campus Police issued the official Timely Warning DR #2021-00129 under the Clery Act's timely-warning framework. PCC maintains a public timely warnings and crime bulletins archive where this incident is recorded. The suspect, described as disheveled with apparent signs of transience, was never publicly identified. The daylight, mid-campus timing distinguishes this case from the more common parking-lot or late-night abduction patterns: it demonstrates that attempted kidnapping incidents can occur in high-traffic campus buildings during normal operating hours.
Analysis

Key Findings

One of the few confirmed-verbatim community college timely warning bulletins for an attempted kidnap in a campus academic building, accessible from PCC's public crime bulletin archive
The daytime, on-campus-building location challenges the assumption that abduction attempts primarily occur in parking lots or at night; R Building's third floor corridor is a high-traffic academic space
PCC's public timely warning archive (including case numbers) represents best practice for community college Clery Act compliance transparency
The 'possibly a transient' descriptor in the official bulletin reflects historical campus safety terminology that is increasingly scrutinized in modern practice as both stigmatizing and operationally vague
Outcome
Suspect not identified or apprehended. PCC Campus Police investigated. The bulletin was posted to the PCC official timely warnings page.
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
    Timely Warning: Attempted Kidnap - DR #2021-00129 (Pasadena City College Campus Police)
    pasadena.edu
    archived copy
  2. Official
    Timely Warnings and Crime Bulletins Archive (Pasadena City College)
    pasadena.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Pasadena City College: Timely warning after an attempted kidnapping reported inside a campus building." Incident of November 16, 2021. Added May 2026; last updated September 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/pasadena-city-college-attempted-kidnap-2021-11-16/

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

Tags
attempted-abductiontimely-warningcommunity-collegecaliforniadaytime-incidentacademic-buildingverbatim-confirmedpublic-safety-archiveUnder Investigation
Added May 2026Updated September 2026Via ingestion