Campus Alert Archive
GSU

Five-Agency Response to Nothing: GSU Newton Campus Becomes Latest Target in Georgia Swatting Wave

GAswattingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed HoaxDetermined to be a hoax. The institutional response is documented because it reveals how the alert system performed under a perceived real threat.

On the evening of October 6, 2025, a false active shooter report at Georgia State University's Newton County campus near Covington triggered a multi-agency law enforcement response. The Newton County Sheriff's Office confirmed the call was a swatting hoax after officers from Newton, Walton, and Monroe counties cleared the campus.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
Georgia State University
Public R1 · GA
~54,000 studentsGSU Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction174 chars
GSU Alert: An active shooter has been reported at the Georgia State University Newton campus near Highway 11 and Interstate 20. Avoid the area. Law enforcement is responding.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from 11Alive and Fox 5 Atlanta coverage; the report originated as a call claiming an active shooting near Highway 11 and Interstate 20 at the GSU Newton campus
Multiple agencies from Newton, Walton, and Monroe counties responded to the call
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction221 chars
GSU Alert ALL CLEAR: The active shooter report at the Newton campus has been confirmed as a false swatting call. Buildings have been searched and cleared. There is no threat to the GSU community. Resume normal activities.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from multiple local media sources; the Newton County Sheriff's Office confirmed the swatting call at 10:11 PM EDT on October 6, 2025
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation noted a nationwide trend of online threat actors disrupting schools with swatting incidents
Context

Background

On the evening of October 6, 2025, a false report of an active shooter at Georgia State University's Newton County campus near Covington prompted a large multi-agency law enforcement response. Officers from Newton, Walton, and Monroe counties converged on the campus and searched Buildings 1 and 2, finding no threats or suspicious activity. The Newton County Sheriff's Office confirmed the call was a swatting hoax at 10:11 PM EDT. GSU Police also responded immediately but found nothing suspicious. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation noted a nationwide trend of online threat actors disrupting schools with swatting incidents. The Monroe Police Department warned that making false reports is a crime that puts officers and the public at unnecessary risk. GSU's Newton campus was one of several Georgia higher education institutions targeted by swatting calls in late 2025, part of a broader national pattern.
Analysis

Key Findings

The swatting call drew a multi-agency response from three counties despite the report being entirely fabricated
GSU's Newton campus was part of a broader wave of swatting calls targeting Georgia colleges in fall 2025
The GBI noted the incident was consistent with a nationwide trend of online threat actors targeting educational institutions
Outcome
Officers searched and cleared Buildings 1 and 2 on the Newton campus. No threats, weapons, or suspicious activity were found. The incident was confirmed as a swatting call at 10:11 PM EDT.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Report of shooting at GSU's Newton County campus was a swatting call (11Alive)
    11alive.com
  2. News
    Police confirm GSU Newton campus shooter report was a hoax (Fox 5 Atlanta)
    fox5atlanta.com
  3. News
    Newton County Sheriff's Office confirms active shooter incident was swatting (Monroe Local News)
    news.monroelocal.org
  4. News
    Swatting calls frustrate Georgia college officials (AJC)
    ajc.com
Tags
swattingactive-shooter-hoaxnewton-campusgeorgiamulti-agency-responsegbipublic-universitycovingtonHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion