Reported active shooting at Villanova a ‘cruel hoax,’ university president says | LiveNOW from FOX

An active shooter was reported at Villanova University Thursday afternoon in what is now being called a “cruel hoax” by the university’s president.

“As we were celebrating Orientation Mass to welcome our newest Villanovans and their families to our community, panic ensued with the news of a possible shooter at the law school,” Rev. Peter M. Donohue said.

“Mercifully, no one was injured,” he added.

New student orientation and registration started on Thursday and is scheduled to run through Saturday. Villanova’s academic year is set to start in just five days.

Pennsylvania State Police, Radnor Township Police and federal law enforcement are still on scene, according to Gov. Josh Shapiro. The scene remains active.

Shapiro called the reports of a shooter “unfounded”

The university had asked the public to avoid the law school and move to a secure location and barricade doors when it believed the threat to be real.

Video posted to social media showed frantic students running.

Villanova University is a private Catholic university located in the Philadelphia suburbs. The school received extra attention this year for being the alma mater of new Pope Leo XIV.

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