‘Cruel Hoax’: Active Shooter Story A False Alarm, Police Say

Authorities responded to reports of an active shooter at Villanova University Thursday afternoon, prompting immediate lockdown orders across the campus and surrounding areas, but officials later confirmed it was a false alarm.

At approximately 4:30 p.m., the university’s emergency alert system issued the message: “ACTIVE SHOOTER on VU campus. Move to secure location. Lock/barricade doors. More info to follow,” according to NBC Philadelphia. Minutes later, Radnor Township Police confirmed the report, stating officers were actively responding to the situation on school grounds.

Authorities later confirmed the reported Villanova University shooting was false, with no evidence of an active shooter or victims found. Law enforcement praised the community’s quick response as multiple agencies cleared the campus and opened an investigation into the hoax.

In a statement on its website, Villanova University said panic spread during Thursday’s Orientation Mass after reports of a possible shooter at the Law School. The school confirmed the incident was a hoax, noting there was no active shooter, no injuries, and no evidence of firearms on campus.