A report of a gunman at Villanova University on Thursday turned out to be hoax, the university President said. The scare, however, created panic among students and families on the first day of orientation at the campus outside Philadelphia, according to a report by New York Times.
The university’s president, Rev. Peter M. Donohue called the incident a “cruel hoax.” He wrote in an email to the school community, “Mercifully, no one was injured and we now know that it was a cruel hoax – there was no active shooter, no injuries and no evidence of firearms present on campus,” as per NBC News.
President of Villanova University notes active shooter situation as a "Cruel Hoax". Campus is presumed to be safe after initial reports. pic.twitter.com/fLIXtWs0Rf
— Nicholas D. Liddle (@NLiddle16) August 21, 2025
In a statement, the university said the Department of Public Safety received an anonymous report around 4:30 pm, about an active shooter in the Charles Widger School of Law. “The report was determined to be false and a hoax,” the statement said.
Students told to barricade themselves
After the call, students were instructed to barricade themselves inside dorms and classrooms. Armed police officers arrived on campus with guns drawn and cleared buildings one by one. People were asked to remain in place until officers guided them to safety.
An update on Villanova’s website later confirmed, “The campus is all clear and there is no longer a need to shelter in place.”
Second hoax incident in a day
This was the second false active shooter report at a US college the same day. At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, police also investigated a report of a shooter, but it was declared a false threat. “There was no evidence of any shooting or other threat to the University community and no injuries were reported,” the university’s police department said, as per NBC News.
Local law enforcement and the FBI are now investigating both incidents.