VILLANOVA, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — An active shooter incident reported at Villanova University Thursday afternoon was the result of a “cruel hoax,” according to school and police officials.
Villanova University alerts were issued around 4:30 p.m., saying Radnor Township police were on the scene and to stay clear of the law school's Scarpa Hall. In a Facebook post, the township also told people in the area to shelter in place.
Authorities said someone called 911 and reported an active shooter in the law school building, and at least one person was shot. Investigators later determined that it was a false report.
Around 6 p.m., Villanova President Peter M. Donohue sent a letter to students and families calling the incident a “cruel hoax.”
“Today, as we are celebrating Orientation Mass to welcome our newest Villanovans and their families to our community, panic and terror ensued with the news of a possible shooter at the Law School,” he said. “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. While that is a blessing and relief, I know today's events have shaken our entire community. … I would like to apologize to our first-year students and their families. This is not the introduction to Villanova that I had hoped for you.”
Gov. Josh Shapiro, in a post on X, called the situation the product of a swatting incident, "when someone calls in a fake threat to induce panic."
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said his office will work with federal authorities to trace the call and find out who called in the fake report.
According to the Villanova academic calendar, new student orientation for the 2025-2026 school year began Thursday. Its website said an estimated 6,700 full-time undergraduate students attend the university, as well as 3,100 law and graduate students.
Donohue said new student orientation, upperclassmen move-ins and athletics will move forward as planned. The university will continue normal operations on Friday except for the law school, which will remain closed through the weekend.
“In the process of securing the Law School today, the building suffered damage,” Donohue said. “In order to make the necessary repairs, the Law School will be closed through the weekend, opening on Monday, Aug. 25, at 7 a.m. for all classes and activities.”