On Thursday, a report of an active shooter at Villanova University in Pennsylvania sent shockwaves through the campus community, only to be revealed later as a cruel hoax. According to both the university president and the Delaware County district attorney, the alarming situation began around 4:30 p.m. when the university issued an alert regarding a potential shooter in the Charles Widger School of Law.
In a communication directed to the university community, Villanova University President Rev. Peter Donohue detailed the situation, explaining that reports emerged during the school's orientation Mass, which was taking place in the middle of campus. The alert urged individuals to move to safe locations and to secure their doors by locking and barricading them.
Law enforcement agencies from Delaware County, the Pennsylvania State Police, and federal authorities swiftly responded to the potential active shooter situation. By 5:47 p.m., the Radnor police confirmed that there were no victims reported. “This is not an active shooter,” declared Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. “What happened here today looks like it was a hoax.”
Stollsteimer elaborated that a call was made to the 911 center around 4:30 p.m., falsely reporting an active shooter in the law school building along with claims of at least one victim. However, the investigation revealed that these claims were entirely untrue. “At this point, we believe there was nobody hurt. There was never an active shooting on the campus,” he confirmed.
As law enforcement continued their investigation on-site, the university began to lift lockdown procedures. Stollsteimer emphasized the seriousness of the false report, stating, “If this was indeed a cruel hoax, this is a crime. We will track you down if it's the last thing we do.” He reassured the community that the campus was currently the safest place in Delaware County and that measures would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also addressed the situation, taking to social media to express his concerns and actions. He directed the Pennsylvania State Police to utilize every resource available to identify the individuals responsible for the fake threat. “I know today was every parent's nightmare and every student's biggest fear,” Shapiro stated. “I'm profoundly grateful no one was hurt and thankful to all members of law enforcement who ran toward reports of danger to keep Pennsylvanians safe.”
Thursday marked the opening day at Villanova University, which included various events such as a family resource fair, orientation sessions, and a family picnic, according to the university's schedule. In his letter to the community, President Donohue extended his apologies to first-year students and their families, acknowledging, “This is not the introduction to Villanova that I had hoped for you.” He offered a prayer for comfort amidst the unrest experienced by the community.
Interestingly, prior to the incident at Villanova, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga also issued an alert regarding a possible active shooter around 1 p.m. that same day. Hours later, UTC confirmed that the reported threat was false, with no evidence of a shooting and no injuries reported. Classes and activities at UTC were set to resume the following day.
As the investigation continues, both the Villanova community and the public await further updates on the situation, emphasizing the importance of safety and the serious consequences of false threats in educational environments.
