False Active Shooter Reports Trigger Panic, Lockdowns at Villanova, Tennessee Universities

False active shooter reports caused panic and lockdowns at Villanova University in Pennsylvania and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on the same day as students were returning for the new academic year. At Villanova, a 911 call falsely reported a shooting in the law school, prompting immediate alerts for students to lock and barricade doors while police conducted a campus-wide search; the university president, Rev. Peter M. Donohue, later confirmed it was a "cruel hoax" with no injuries. Similarly, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga issued warnings about a possible shooter in the University Center or Library, leading to a rapid law enforcement response including the FBI, but authorities found no threat. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro condemned the Villanova hoax, calling it "every parent’s nightmare" and vowed to use all resources to find those responsible. The incidents disrupted Orientation Mass at Villanova and unsettled families and students, highlighting the severe impact of false threats on campus safety and community well-being. Authorities continue to investigate the sources of the false reports to prevent future occurrences.