Villanova University has deemed its campus safe following an investigation into a threat of violence made against one of its academic buildings. The university initially closed after receiving the threat on Thursday morning, with classes and activities cancelled for the day.
However, despite the initial warning, school officials reported no further incidents of active danger in the hours that followed. In fact, the campus was deemed safe again just a few hours later, with only certain facilities - including student health centers, libraries, and dining halls - remaining open to students.
The FBI is now leading the investigation into the threat, which also appears to have prompted similar threats at other universities. According to an anti-extremism group, these types of "swatting" incidents are likely carried out by underground cybercrime groups.
As a precautionary measure, multiple law enforcement agencies will continue to maintain a heightened police presence on campus throughout the day. Villanova students who live on campus were advised to stay in their residence halls, while faculty and staff were told not to enter campus.
The university's swift response to the threat has been met with praise from some, though others have expressed concerns about the need for such measures.
However, despite the initial warning, school officials reported no further incidents of active danger in the hours that followed. In fact, the campus was deemed safe again just a few hours later, with only certain facilities - including student health centers, libraries, and dining halls - remaining open to students.
The FBI is now leading the investigation into the threat, which also appears to have prompted similar threats at other universities. According to an anti-extremism group, these types of "swatting" incidents are likely carried out by underground cybercrime groups.
As a precautionary measure, multiple law enforcement agencies will continue to maintain a heightened police presence on campus throughout the day. Villanova students who live on campus were advised to stay in their residence halls, while faculty and staff were told not to enter campus.
The university's swift response to the threat has been met with praise from some, though others have expressed concerns about the need for such measures.
Anyway, I'm no expert, but from what I've read, it sounds like the threat wasn't super specific, just a generic "there's going to be violence" type thing. So, yeah, it makes sense that they'd err on the side of caution and lock everything down for a bit. But, at the same time, you don't wanna overreact, right? 
Like, I get why law enforcement is still being super cautious, but closing the whole campus seems like an overkill, even if it's better safe than sorry... 
shouldn't they be takin this more seriously if it's about keepin their students safe? maybe its time for them to review their emergency plans and make sure everyone knows how to react when stuff like this happens...
she lives in a dorm and was super scared what if it got really bad tho after they said its safe again tho idk wut to think 
like, cybercrime groups doin this stuff irl rn
. I mean, come on, a few hours in and they're already saying it's safe? That's some impressive timeline-churning skills right there 
. And now they're telling students to stay in their dorms while faculty gets to go about their day like nothing's wrong 
.
. We'd be stuck in this constant state of anxiety, always looking over our shoulders. But on the other hand, ignoring potential threats can put people at risk too.
. We gotta trust that institutions like Villanova have got their security measures in place, and we gotta support each other in staying safe without feeling trapped. That's what community is all about 
!
! I mean, can you imagine if those threats had turned out to be legit?! 
They took precautions and got everyone's safety on top of their list 
. And now they're keeping those law enforcement agencies around for extra security, which is totally understandable 
. I just wish students who live on campus could stay in their dorms, that would've been a huge stress relief for them 
! Anyway, I'm glad no one got hurt and the campus is back to normal 
!
. I mean, I'm no expert, but can we really just chalk this up to random cybercrime groups or is there more to it? 
The whole thing feels a bit too convenient, if you ask me 
. I don't think we're getting all the facts here, but at the same time, it's hard to argue that universities shouldn't be taking these threats seriously either 
, but at the same time, isn't it a bit concerning that they had to close down the whole campus in the first place? I get that safety is a top priority, but cancelling classes and stuff just feels like a hassle for everyone 
. I'm all for keeping people safe, but we should also be thinking about how to do it in a way that doesn't disrupt our daily lives too much 
. And now there are extra cops everywhere, which is probably a good idea, I guess 
Just imagine being in your dorm and hearing like 10 police sirens outside because some dude on the internet is trying to scare people. That's straight up crazy talk. And now they're saying it's probably some cybercrime group? 
Like, what's the point of all this? Are they just trolling for clout or something? 
.
. I'm just glad to hear that no one got hurt 
.
. It's crazy how it all went down - one morning they're closed and everyone's in lockdown mode, then just a few hours later they're back to normal 
. It's not like the threat didn't exist or anything. I mean, I get why they had to take precautions, but at the same time, it feels kinda overboard with all the police presence and whatnot 
.
. And let's be real, those cybercrime groups are getting more sneaky by the day 
I'm really glad they've deemed the campus safe again, but it's crazy how fast things escalated! 
As a parent of a freshman there, I was getting anxious emails from my kid, wondering what was going on. 