Second Hoax At Villanova University Sparks Police Response Ahead Of Classes
Radnor Township Police stated that on Sunday, August 24, one day before classes were supposed to start, Villanova University received a second fictitious emergency complaint concerning a firearm on campus.
University of Villanova
After receiving a report of a potential threat, officers were dispatched to Austin Hall; however, they subsequently verified that the call was baseless. After clearing the area and conducting a search of the building, law officers attempted to resume regular activities. The scam is still being investigated.
Three days prior, during orientation activities, a fictitious active shooter report at Villanova’s law school caused havoc on campus. The August 21 fake scared parents and students attending the first-year welcome activities, prompted a major police and emergency medical response, and resulted in a campus-wide lockdown. Later, authorities verified that the scare was a swatting occurrence.
University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue reassured students and families that campus is safe in spite of the alarming warnings in a message to the Villanova community on Sunday night.
Additionally, the call we got today regarding a potential threat was baseless. Nevertheless, Donohue replied, “We take every call seriously and take the utmost precaution to ensure the safety of our community. I understand how alarming it is to receive these alerts.”
Both incidents are being aggressively investigated by federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations, he noted. I’m not sure why this is occurring, but rest assured that the authorities are making every effort to identify the source of these calls.
“Out of caution, the university will continue to have a higher police and public safety presence,” Donohue said. At the Finneran Pavilion, the yearly University Commissioning Mass was still set for 7 p.m.
A private Catholic university located just outside of Philadelphia is called Villanova University. Recently, the school has gained international prominence as the alma mater of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who is now Pope Leo XIV, who earned a degree in mathematics from the institution in 1977. As the first Augustinian to lead the Catholic Church, the first from any American university, and the first American-born pope, his election was historic.To read our whole report on Pope Leo XIV’s connections to Villanova University, click here.
Neither event has shown any indication of a real threat, and no injuries have been reported.
