Wave of Hoax Active Shooter Calls Terrifies US College Campuses as School Year Begins

A disturbing rash of hoax calls reporting active shooters has sent shockwaves of fear through college campuses across the United States this week, disrupting the start of the new academic year and prompting massive law enforcement responses. Students and faculty have been forced into lockdown, scrambling for cover and fearing for their lives, only for the threats to be revealed as elaborate and malicious hoaxes, commonly known as ‘swatting.’

The incidents peaked on Monday, August 25, 2025, with universities including the University of Arkansas, Northern Arizona University, Iowa State, Kansas State, the University of Colorado-Boulder, and the University of New Hampshire all receiving false alarms. The following day, Tuesday, August 26, saw similar calls targeting the University of Kentucky, West Virginia University, and Central Georgia Technical College. Earlier in the week, Villanova University and the University of South Carolina also experienced terrifying lockdowns due to these fabricated threats, with some calls even featuring the sound of gunshots in the background to heighten the realism.

Law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are now investigating the coordinated nature of these calls, which divert critical resources and create a climate of intense anxiety. Authorities are working to identify those responsible for these criminal acts, with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster comparing the hoaxes to yelling fire in a crowded theater and stressing the potential for tragic escalation. The incidents have left a lasting psychological toll on students and staff, raising concerns among experts that repeated false alarms could lead to complacency regarding genuine threats in the future.

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