Villanova University says active shooter report was a ‘cruel hoax’

Villanova University said a report of a possible shooter at its law school was a “cruel hoax,” after it issued an alert warning of an active shooter on its Pennsylvania campus on Thursday.

“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,” Villanova President Rev. Peter Donohue said in a statement to the school community. “While that is a blessing and a relief, I know today’s events have shaken our entire community.”

The incident, which occurred as the school was celebrating its orientation mass to welcome new students, sparked a large local and federal law enforcement response, and “panic and terror ensued,” Donohue said.

Read more: ABC News