Students of Villanova University were thrown into panic after a false shooting emergency erupted on 22 August, authorities confirmed.

At around 4 p.m., police received an anonymous 911 call reporting a shooting incident on campus. However, after investigating, authorities determined the report was false and described it as a "cruel hoax."

The incident caused alarm during an orientation Mass for new students, prompting school officials to immediately issue a shelter-in-place alert.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro condemned the act, saying swatting is illegal and directing authorities to act swiftly.

"use every tool at our disposal to find the person or people who called in this fake threat and hold them accountable," he said on X.

Delaware County authorities, together with the FBI and Pennsylvania State Police, have launched an investigation to identify those responsible.

Swatting incidents in U.S.

The Villanova scare is part of a broader national trend. Across the U.S., swatting attacks have increasingly targeted schools, universities, and public spaces, disrupting communities and straining law enforcement resources.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, swatting cases in the U.S. have risen sharply over the past five years, forcing police to treat every call as potentially real until proven otherwise.

The government has already taken serious action on the matter, as the country continues to grapple with numerous shooting incidents. In response to these attacks, the FBI created a national database to track and prevent swatting cases.