Campus Alert Archive
Bucknell

Active-shooter report prompts a 58-minute lockdown; determined to be a swatting hoax

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PAswattingemergency notificationmedium confidence
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On Good Friday evening, March 29, 2024, Bucknell University Public Safety received a tip-line call reporting an active shooter on the central-Pennsylvania campus. The first BUAlert went out at approximately 6:37 PM EDT instructing the community to shelter in place, and the all-clear was issued around 7:35 PM EDT, a 58-minute emergency that turned out to be the university's first swatting incident, traced to a caller in Virginia and investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and FBI.

Alerts
3
Response
0 min
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Bucknell University
Private Liberal Arts · PA
All Bucknell cases →
~3,900 studentsBUAlert (Rave Mobile Safety)
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some messages in this sequence are documented (their existence, timing, and channel are sourced) but their exact wording is not preserved in the public record. Those entries appear as placeholders; only confirmed text is displayed.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatimWKOK Newsradio 1070 quoting the Bucknell University Facebook alert post verbatim185 chars
Bucknell Public Safety is responding to reports of an active shooter. Campus is on lockdown. All students, employees and visitors are instructed to shelter in place until further notice
Sent at 6:37 PM EDT on Good Friday; the long Easter weekend meant a partially emptied campus
Verbatim text as quoted by WKOK from Bucknell University's official Facebook alert post on March 29, 2024
Bucknell had not previously experienced a swatting call; per the Bucknellian's retrospective, the Public Safety Department had no internal SOP for hoax verification beyond standard active-threat protocols
UPDATESMS+23 min
Wording not preserved
A update message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
ALL CLEARSMS+58 min
Wording not preserved
A all clear message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

Bucknell Public Safety is responding to reports of an active shooter. Campus is on lockdown. All students, employees and visitors are instructed to shelter in place until further notice

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the source is present; Bucknell Public Safety is named as the responding authority.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety" as responding authority.
    2. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    3. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    4. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety", a responding authority.
    5. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    6. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    7. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    8. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    9. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    10. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    11. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    12. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    13. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    14. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    15. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    16. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    17. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    18. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    19. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    20. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    21. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    22. present: Names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    23. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
    24. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety", the responding authority.
    25. present: It names "Bucknell Public Safety" as the responding authority.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that the hazard is present; an active shooter is named as a specific threat.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    2. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    3. present: Names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    4. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    5. present: States "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    6. present: It names "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    7. present: It reports "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    8. present: States "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    9. present: States "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    10. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    11. present: It reports "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    12. present: Names "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    13. present: States "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    14. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    15. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    16. present: Names "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    17. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    18. present: It names "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    19. present: It reports an "active shooter", a specific threat.
    20. present: It reports "an active shooter", a specific named threat.
    21. present: States "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    22. present: Names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    23. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
    24. present: It names "reports of an active shooter", a specific threat.
    25. present: It names "an active shooter", a specific threat.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree a location is given, with campus on lockdown referencing the campus place.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as location.
    2. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", referring to campus as the place.
    3. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", indicating the campus location.
    4. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the place.
    5. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the location.
    6. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the place.
    7. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", identifying campus as the location.
    8. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", identifying campus as the place.
    9. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", locating it on campus.
    10. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the place.
    11. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", locating it on campus.
    12. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", indicating campus-wide location.
    13. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", referring to campus location.
    14. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", indicating the affected campus location.
    15. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", locating the threat on campus.
    16. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", referring to campus as the location.
    17. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the location.
    18. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", locating it on campus.
    19. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", locating it to campus.
    20. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the location.
    21. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", referring to campus as the place.
    22. present: Says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the place.
    23. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", locating it on campus.
    24. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", referencing campus as the place.
    25. present: It says "Campus is on lockdown", locating it to campus.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous that guidance is present; recipients are told to shelter in place until further notice.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    2. present: It instructs recipients to "shelter in place until further notice".
    3. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    4. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice", a protective action.
    5. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    6. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    7. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice", a protective action.
    8. present: Instructs "shelter in place until further notice", a protective action.
    9. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    10. present: It instructs all "to shelter in place until further notice".
    11. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    12. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    13. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice", a protective action.
    14. present: It instructs everyone to "shelter in place until further notice".
    15. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice", a protective action.
    16. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    17. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    18. present: It instructs all on campus to "shelter in place until further notice".
    19. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    20. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice", a protective action.
    21. present: Instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    22. present: Instructs recipients to "shelter in place until further notice".
    23. present: It instructs everyone to "shelter in place until further notice".
    24. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
    25. present: It instructs all to "shelter in place until further notice".
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree time is present via the recency and duration cue until further notice.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Says "until further notice", a recency cue.
    2. present: It says "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    3. present: Says "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    4. present: The phrase "until further notice" conveys timing duration.
    5. present: Uses "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    6. present: It uses "until further notice", a recency or duration cue.
    7. present: "until further notice" conveys a recency/duration cue.
    8. present: Says "until further notice", a recency and duration cue.
    9. present: Uses "until further notice", a recency or duration cue.
    10. present: It says "until further notice", a recency cue, and that they are "responding".
    11. present: It says "until further notice", a recency cue.
    12. present: Says "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    13. present: Uses "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    14. present: It uses "until further notice", a recency and duration cue.
    15. present: It uses "until further notice", a recency and duration cue.
    16. present: Includes "until further notice", a temporal cue.
    17. present: It says "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    18. present: It uses "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    19. present: It says to shelter "until further notice", a recency cue.
    20. present: It says "until further notice", a recency or duration cue.
    21. present: Uses "until further notice", a recency/duration cue.
    22. present: Uses recency cue "until further notice" and "is responding".
    23. present: The phrase "until further notice" conveys a time frame.
    24. present: It says "until further notice", a recency cue.
    25. present: It says "until further notice", a recency/duration cue, and "is responding" implies now.
  • Impactabsent9/25

    Final assessment

    Absent by a 16 to 9 majority; most reads find it only names an active shooter and orders lockdown and shelter without stating harm or what the threat could do, while the dissent infers lethal danger from the hazard name.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Reports an active shooter prompting lockdown and shelter in place, implying danger to people.
    2. absent: Reports active shooter calls with lockdown but states no actual harm or danger.
    3. absent: It reports an active shooter response and lockdown but states no harm or what the threat could do beyond naming it.
    4. present: It reports an active shooter prompting lockdown and shelter in place, implying a danger to people.
    5. absent: Reports an active shooter and lockdown but states no specific harm or consequence.
    6. absent: It reports an active shooter and lockdown but states no injury or explicit danger.
    7. absent: Reports an active shooter and lockdown but states no explicit harm or severity.
    8. absent: Reports active shooter and lockdown but states no actual harm or explicit danger.
    9. present: Reports an active shooter and orders lockdown and shelter-in-place, implying danger to people.
    10. absent: Reports an active shooter and orders lockdown but states no explicit harm or danger.
    11. absent: Reports an active shooter and orders shelter in place but states no harm or consequence.
    12. present: Reports an active shooter with campus lockdown and shelter in place, implying danger to people.
    13. present: Reports an active shooter and a campus lockdown with sheltering implying danger to people.
    14. absent: Reports an active shooter and lockdown but states no explicit harm or severity.
    15. absent: It reports an active shooter and lockdown but no harm or injury is stated.
    16. absent: Reports an active shooter and orders lockdown but states no explicit harm beyond naming the hazard.
    17. present: Reports an active shooter and orders shelter in place, implying danger to people.
    18. absent: Reports an active shooter and lockdown but does not state harm beyond naming the hazard.
    19. absent: It reports an active shooter and orders lockdown but states no injury or explicit danger beyond the hazard name.
    20. absent: Reports an active shooter report and lockdown but no injury or explicit danger statement is given.
    21. present: Reports an active shooter and orders lockdown and shelter, conveying danger to people.
    22. absent: It reports an active shooter and orders lockdown but states no specific harm or how dangerous the situation is.
    23. present: Reports an active shooter response with lockdown, implying lethal danger to people.
    24. present: Reports an active shooter and campus lockdown, conveying lethal danger.
    25. absent: It reports an active shooter and lockdown but states no explicit potential harm or severity.

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

Bucknell is a Patriot League private liberal arts university of about 3,900 students in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, along the West Branch of the Susquehanna. On Good Friday evening, March 29, 2024, Bucknell Public Safety received a tip call reporting an active shooter on campus. The university issued its first BUAlert at 6:37 PM EDT instructing the community to shelter in place. Lewisburg Borough Police, Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI responded; an hour-long sweep found no shooter, and the all-clear was issued around 7:35 PM EDT. State police later confirmed the call originated from Virginia and was part of the same coordinated wave of campus swattings that hit dozens of US institutions in 2023–2024. In the aftermath, Bucknell mandated automatic BUAlert enrollment for all students and staff, and Chief Anthony Morgan led a public-facing review of response gaps. The incident was Bucknell's first swatting; the institution went on to experience two more in August 2025 and September 2025.
Analysis

Key Findings

Bucknell's lockdown lasted approximately 58 minutes (6:37 to 7:35 PM EDT), with the Good Friday timing leaving the campus partially emptied
In the aftermath, Bucknell mandated automatic BUAlert enrollment for all students and employees
Bucknell experienced two more swatting incidents, in August and September 2025
Bucknell Public Safety discussed its response and improvement plan publicly through the Bucknellian after the incident
Outcome
No threat was found. Bucknell Public Safety, the Lewisburg Borough Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police searched the campus and confirmed the call was a hoax originating from Virginia. In response, Bucknell mandated automatic enrollment in BUAlert for all students and employees and created a follow-up communication-improvements plan led by Chief Anthony Morgan. The same coordinated swatting wave hit dozens of campuses through 2024–2025 and culminated in the August–September 2025 surge.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Bucknell University: Active shooter reports 'a hoax' (Williamsport Sun-Gazette)
    sungazette.com
    archived copy
  2. Student Paper
    Public Safety improves emergency response following March 29 swatting incident (The Bucknellian)
    bucknellian.net
    archived copy
  3. News
    Update: Officials say active shooter alert at Bucknell was a hoax (WNEP)
    wnep.com
    archived copy
  4. News
    Bucknell University experiences lockdown after reports of an active shooter (local21news)
    local21news.com
    archived copy
  5. News
    Bucknell University on lockdown due to reports of active shooter (FOX56)
    fox56.com
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Bucknell University: Active-shooter report prompts a 58-minute lockdown; determined to be a swatting hoax." Incident of March 29, 2024. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/bucknell-university-active-shooter-swatting-2024-03-29/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
swattingactive-shooter-hoaxpatriot-leagueprivate-liberal-artspennsylvanialewisburggood-fridayfbi-investigationrave-mobile-safety
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion