Latest Event Updates
Shelter-in-Place Order for Washington, DC, Campus due to Escaped Inmate Nearby
An inmate in custody at George Washington Hospital escaped this afternoon, prompting a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding areas. Pepperdine’s Washington, DC, campus is currently secured, and all students and faculty members are safe and accounted for. The George Washington Police Department and the DC Metropolitan Police Department are still searching for the suspect and advise everyone in the area to remain sheltered in place until further notice. If you must leave, exercise extreme caution. We strongly advise DC program participants to follow the directives of local law enforcement. University officials will provide updates as they become available.
Please note the alumni networking event scheduled to take place on campus this evening has been canceled, and all attendees who have already arrived are safe in the building and will leave as they are able.
Individual Arrested After Breaking into Parked Vehicle on the Malibu Campus
This evening, the Department of Public Safety encountered an individual on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus who was breaking into a parked car. DPS officers and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department deputies responded, confronted the individual who proceeded off campus and over to Bluffs Park with deputies in pursuit. Sheriff’s deputies took the individual into custody off campus.
DPS is working with law enforcement and the staff member who owns the car. Out of an abundance of caution, DPS closed the permit lanes for Seaver Drive and John Tyler Drive early. These lanes are scheduled to reopen tomorrow morning at their typical times. DPS officers will conduct additional campus patrols tonight, even though law enforcement is not indicating an elevated risk.
Follow up to the Erroneous Shots Fired Dispatch Call on August 30
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) has assessed the cause of an Erroneous Shots Fired Message that went out to the Pepperdine Community Wednesday evening and concluded it was an unintentional mistake. We apologize for the undue concern it has caused our community.
Within seconds, DPS and University officials were investigating the validity of the message. While they researched this possibility, officers and administrators spoke with employees in Calabasas, reviewed the call log, and viewed Calabasas camera footage to, with the greatest amount of certainty possible, confirm there was no actual shots fired report in Calabasas. Receiving those confirming details that it was not an actual emergency, within 16 minutes of the first message, DPS Dispatch sent a correcting message noting the first communication was in error.
Upon receipt of the initial message, University administrators and officers from the University’s Department of Public Safety went to the Calabasas campus and met with Los Angeles Sheriff’s department (LASD). Sheriff’s deputies accessed the building and cleared it. No employees or students were present in the building at the time the first message went out. Out of an abundance of caution, LASD also sent officers to Malibu.
While we are relieved that the message was in error, we deeply regret the error. We apologize to the Pepperdine community for the undue concern and the additional work it has caused. The Emergency Operations Committee and Department of Public Safety will conduct a review of its testing procedures, training, and protocols to avoid a repeat of this error.
Erroneous Shots Fired Message
An erroneous message of shots fired at the Calabasas campus was sent at 9:45 PM this evening. The University has confirmation that there have been no shots fired. Out of an abundance of caution, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department officers responded to the scene and confirmed there is no danger or threat to the University community. We understand this was a concerning message to receive and realize this undoubtedly caused some distress. We sincerely regret this error. All Pepperdine campuses are safe and secure.
Pepperdine Emergency Information 
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