False Active Shooter Report Triggers Panic During Orientation at Villanova University

VILLANOVA, PA- August 21, 2025 A 911 call just after 4:30 p.m. on August 21 alleged an active shooter and wounded victim in the law school at Villanova University. The alert coincided with a welcoming Orientation Mass, sending campus into lockdown and alarming students, families, and staff

Students received emergency messages urging them to “move to secure location,” lock and barricade doors, and stay away from the area. In response, law enforcement - including the FBI, state police, and local units - swiftly initiated a full campus sweep.

University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue later denounced the incident as a "cruel hoax," affirming that no one was injured and no weapon was found. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer labeled the incident criminal and confirmed an ongoing investigation. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called it a "cruel swatting incident.

The hoax also disrupted the nearby University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, which faced a nearly simultaneous false shooter report resulting in a brief lockdown.

Villanova’s incoming class of around 1,770 students was left shaken mid-orientation, with many families interrupted in the midst of move-in. The incident underscores the severe consequences of false threats on campus safety and the emotional well-being of university communities.

*Sources: *https://apnews.com/article/villanova-reported-shooting-campus-6de9876f4c8b698b13c2756f1619c300