A massive police response to an active shooter report at Villanova University on Thursday was a "cruel hoax," according to the university's president, Peter M. Donohue.
The incident, which caused a campus-wide lockdown, concluded with no injuries and no evidence of a shooter.
"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," Donohue stated in a message to students, as quoted by CNN.
The ordeal began on Thursday afternoon when the Radnor Township Police Department received a report of an active shooter, prompting a large-scale law enforcement and fire official presence. Students and nearby residents were immediately instructed to shelter in place and secure their locations. Authorities focused their search on the law school's Scarpa Hall.
Police conducted a thorough sweep of the building but found no victims or suspects. The false alarm occurred as the university was holding its new student orientation and registration, with classes set to begin next week.