Threat of violence, September 11, 2025
AI-generated · every claim is source-linkedOn September 11, 2025, members of the Lehigh University community received a disturbing email containing a racially targeted threat. LUPD Chief Jason Schiffer received a phone call about the email at 11:03 AM EDT, and the HawkWatch alert went out at 12:37 PM EDT. The FBI joined LUPD's investigation and determined the threat was a hoax, part of a coordinated wave of threats that hit multiple HBCUs and other institutions the same day.
- Alerts
- 2
- Response
- —
- Killed
- 0
- Injured
- 0
Alert Sequence
2 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.
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.
Earlier today, members of the Lehigh University community received a disturbing email including a racially targeted threat to campus. LUPD, in coordination with the FBI, has determined the threat is not credible and that there is no ongoing risk to our community. Multiple campuses across the country were subject to similar coordinated threats today, which have been determined to be hoaxes. Out of an abundance of caution, LUPD will be increasing its presence across campus. We recognize that this message may leave some feeling unsettled. Lehigh Counseling & Psychological Services is available to students for in-person support, and Telus Health offers 24/7 online counseling with multilingual options so students can speak with someone in their native language if desired. Faculty and staff can also seek confidential support through the Lehigh Employee Assistance Plan (EAP). Resources are available for the campus community (https://www2.lehigh.edu/news/support-resources). As always, we encourage the campus community to be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. Report any suspicious persons or behavior to LUPD at (610) 758-4200. Jason Schiffer Associate Vice President of Campus Safety & Chief of Police Lehigh University Police Department
Sourceabsent0/0
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.
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Hazardabsent0/0
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.
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Locationabsent0/0
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.
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Guidanceabsent0/0
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.
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Timeabsent0/0
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.
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Impactabsent0/0
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.
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Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.
About this analysisBackground
Key Findings
Sources
- Student Paper
- national media
- industry publication
- industry publicationHBCUs on High Alert Following a Series of Threats (Campus Safety Magazine)campussafetymagazine.comarchived copy
- Official
- Official
Campus Alert Archive. "Lehigh University: Threat of violence, September 11, 2025." Incident of September 11, 2025. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/lehigh-university-racially-targeted-email-hoax-2025-09-11/
Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.