PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Villanova University was subjected to yet another false report of an active shooter on Sunday morning.
Radnor police officers responded to the call at the school’s Austin Hall at 11:30 a.m. Shortly after arriving, police ruled that the report was false.
Officials then worked to clear the campus and restore operations.
At the time, mass was being held at St. Thomas of Villanova Church. Those in attendance were briefly told to stay in place and wait for the all-clear.
This follows Thursday’s active shooter alert at Scarpa Hall. The alert prompted a campus-wide shelter-in-place for a few hours before officers determined it was a "cruel hoax."
In a letter to the school community, Villanova President Peter Donohue said the campus has maintained safety despite these “troubling events.”
“I understand how alarming it is to receive these alerts, but we take every call seriously and take the utmost precaution to ensure the safety of our community. We will always be overly cautious and vigilant when it comes to campus safety,” he said in part. “Like me, you are probably wondering what is happening and how. … I wish I had more answers for you, but federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are actively investigating both incidents.”
Following Sunday morning’s incident, the college canceled its evening mass.
“With all that has transpired on campus in recent days, we feel our first-year students are best served by an evening with time to pause before classes start [Monday]. We made this decision after much conversation, consultation and prayer,” said Kathleen Byrnes, vice president for student life.
Authorities are investigating both fake reports.