Campus Alert Archive
UT Knoxville

1:45 a.m. on Cumberland Avenue: A Purse, a Handgun, and a Greenway Escape

TNrobberytimely warningmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

Just before 2 a.m. on October 27, 2024, a 22-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint at 11th Street and Cumberland Avenue near the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus. UTPD issued an emergency alert that morning. Two suspects, Brandon Donathan and Sarai Standridge, were arrested later that day after an attempted West Knoxville robbery and connected to multiple incidents near campus.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Public R1 · TN
~36,000 studentsUT Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstructionUT Knoxville Clery Safety Notices Archive266 chars
UT Alert: Armed robbery reported near 11th St and Cumberland Ave at approximately 1:45 a.m. Suspect armed with handgun, described as white or Hispanic male in ski mask and black hoodie. Suspect fled in white sedan. Avoid area. If seen, call 911 or UTPD 865-974-3114.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed SMS-format alert based on WBIR and WVLT reporting; the time (1:45 a.m.), location (11th and Cumberland), suspect description, and white-sedan getaway vehicle are confirmed by multiple news sources
UT Alert is the SMS short-message system; UTPD also issues longer email Safety Notices through the Clery archive
The Third Creek Greenway escape route — mentioned in the longer email version but trimmed from SMS — is the pedestrian/bike trail running parallel to Neyland Drive
1:45 a.m. on a Sunday at the Cumberland Avenue 'Strip' (UT's bar/restaurant district) reflects the typical risk window for this corridor
The arrests of Donathan and Standridge later that same day make this a rare case where the alert and resolution land within a single news cycle
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Approximate reconstructionUT Knoxville Clery Safety Notices Archive876 chars
Safety Notice — Update on Cumberland Avenue Armed Robbery This is a follow-up to the UT Alert issued earlier today regarding an armed robbery that occurred at approximately 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, October 27, 2024, at 11th Street and Cumberland Avenue. The Knoxville Police Department has informed UTPD that two suspects have been taken into custody following an attempted West Knoxville robbery this afternoon. Detectives have connected the suspects to three robbery incidents that occurred near the UT campus and two additional attempted robberies. The suspects have been identified as Brandon Donathan, 25, and Sarai Standridge, 24. This Safety Notice is being issued in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact UTPD at 865-974-3114 or KPD at 865-215-7212.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed follow-up notice based on WVLT reporting confirming the same-day arrests of Donathan and Standridge
UT Knoxville's Clery program distinguishes 'UT Alert' (urgent SMS/push) from 'Safety Notice' (email Clery timely warning) — the same incident often triggers both
Same-day suspect identification and arrest is unusual for a 1:45 a.m. robbery and reflects the value of the white-sedan vehicle description in the initial alert
Context

Background

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus is bounded on its north side by Cumberland Avenue) — known locally as 'The Strip' — a corridor of bars, restaurants, and student-oriented retail that produces most of the campus's late-night robbery incidents. UT's Office of Clery Compliance operates a tiered notification system: UT Alert for urgent SMS/push notifications and Safety Notices for email Clery timely warnings. This October 27, 2024 armed robbery at 11th and Cumberland triggered both, and the same-day arrests of Donathan and Standridge demonstrate the operational value of a specific vehicle description in the initial alert. The case is also notable for showing how UTPD coordinates with the Knoxville Police Department on off-campus incidents within Clery geography — UTPD owns the alert, KPD owns the investigation and the arrest.
Analysis

Key Findings

UT Knoxville operates a tiered system: UT Alert (urgent SMS) plus Safety Notice (email Clery timely warning)
Cumberland Avenue's 'Strip' generates most late-night robbery alerts at UT Knoxville
Specific vehicle descriptions in initial alerts drive same-day arrests in serial-robbery cases
UTPD/KPD coordination is the dominant model for off-campus Clery-geography crimes in Knoxville
The Third Creek Greenway is a recurring escape corridor referenced in UT robbery alerts
Outcome
Suspects Brandon Donathan (25) and Sarai Standridge (24) arrested same day; connected to three robberies and two attempted robberies near UT campus.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    UT Police searching for armed robbery suspect — WBIR
    wbir.com
  2. News
    Knoxville police arrest 2 people in connection to multiple robberies — WVLT
    wvlt.tv
  3. News
    Suspect arrested in armed robbery near University of Tennessee campus — WATE 6
    wate.com
  4. Official
    Safety Notices — University of Tennessee, Knoxville Clery Office
    clery.utk.edu
Tags
robberyarmed-robberytimely-warningpublic-r1off-campus-perimetertennesseeknoxvillecumberland-stripsame-day-arrest
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion