Villanova University said a report of a possible shooter at its law school was a “cruel hoax,” after it issued an alert warning of an active shooter on its Pennsylvania campus on Thursday.

“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,” Villanova President Rev. Peter Donohue said in a statement to the school community. “While that is a blessing and a relief, I know today’s events have shaken our entire community.”
In this screen shot from a video, law enforcement officials are shown at the scene of a shooting at Villanova University, Aug. 21, 2025.
WPVI

The incident, which occurred as the school was celebrating its orientation mass to welcome new students, sparked a large local and federal law enforcement response, and “panic and terror ensued,” Donohue said.

The school had issued an active shooter alert, telling students to stay clear of Law School Scarpa Hall and lock and barricade doors while police conducted sweeps of the campus.

It was later updated to report that the incident was resolved, saying, “The campus is all clear. You no longer need to shelter in place.”

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said his office and the FBI are going to investigate.

“We’re all going to work to try to get to the bottom of who might have done this,” he said during a press briefing Thursday evening.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro noted that swatting is illegal, and that he has directed Pennsylvania State Police to “use every tool at our disposal to find the person or people who called in this fake threat and hold them accountable.”

“I know today was every parent’s nightmare, and every student’s biggest fear,” he said in a statement on X. “I’m profoundly grateful no one was hurt, and thankful to all members of law enforcement who ran towards reports of danger to keep Pennsylvanians safe.”