Hoax shooter alert triggers panic at Villanova University

Villanova University, Pennsylvania and The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga issued false active shooter reports which led all into panic and campus lockdowns on Thursday, August 21, 2025.

The UTC was first to alert students around in noon, the same day, via emergency message: “Run. Hide. Fight. Possible active shooter in the University Center or Library. More info forthcoming.”

The Pope Leo XIV alma mater remained on lockdown for almost an hour before authorities confirmed no evidence of a threat even existed.

The VU issued an alert several hours after UTC matter: “Active shooter on Villanova University campus. Move to a secure location. Lock/barricade doors.”

The message reported a gunman in the law school building with claims of at least one victim wounded.

FBI personnel and law enforcement agencies including local police searched the campus amid the chaos but results were the same as UTC, fake alerts.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro took to official X and posted: “Swatting is illegal. I know today was every parent's nightmare.”

“I've directed the State police department to use every tool at our disposal to find the person or people who called in this fake threat and hold them accountable,“ governor continued.

Catholic research university was welcoming new villanovans on orientation day in presence of their families. Warning disrupted fall semester orientation and prompted massive law enforcement response before being declared cruel hoax.