Campus Alert Archive
Syracuse

Three False Threats in Five Days: Swatting Wave Targets Syracuse's Maxwell Hall

NYswattingemergency notificationhigh 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.

Between February 11 and 16, 2024, Syracuse University received three separate false threat reports targeting Maxwell Hall and Eggers Hall, including two false active shooter reports and one bomb threat. The Department of Public Safety confirmed the incidents were cases of swatting and worked with the FBI to investigate.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
Syracuse University
Private R1 · NY
~22,850 studentsOrange Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 3 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimSyracuse University Department of Public Safety official informational notice, February 11, 2024430 chars
Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) received a FALSE report of an active shooter at Maxwell Hall and Eggers Hall. We quickly determined this report was false following an immediate review of available video footage and confirmed by swiftly dispatched DPS and Syracuse Police Department (SPD) units. Together with our law enforcement partners, we are investigating who is responsible for making this false report.
Verbatim text from the official Syracuse DPS public safety informational notice posted on February 11, 2024
The false report was called in to 911 on Sunday evening, targeting the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
DPS was able to quickly determine the report was false through review of available video footage
UPDATEEmail
Verified verbatimSyracuse University Department of Public Safety official informational notice, February 12, 2024292 chars
Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) received another FALSE report of an active shooter at Maxwell Hall and Eggers Hall at 11:47 a.m. on Monday, February 12. The report was determined to be false following a quick response from DPS and Syracuse Police Department (SPD) units.
Verbatim text from the official Syracuse DPS public safety informational notice posted on February 12, 2024
In a Monday-night campus-wide email, Associate Vice President and Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services Craig Stone wrote (per Daily Orange): 'We take all these reports seriously and investigate fully. Despite both of these incidents being swatting calls, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) will maintain increased patrols at Maxwell and Eggers Halls. DPS is also in contact with the FBI and local law enforcement as the investigation into who made these calls continues.'
DPS confirmed both reports were instances of swatting on February 12, 2024
The repeat targeting of the same building suggests a coordinated harassment campaign
UPDATEEmail+4d
Verified verbatimSyracuse University Department of Public Safety official informational notice, February 16, 2024304 chars
Syracuse University Department of Public Safety (DPS) received FALSE report of a bomb threat at Maxwell Hall at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 16. The report was determined to be false following a quick response from DPS and Syracuse Police Department (SPD) and an urgent review of all available information.
Verbatim text from the official Syracuse DPS public safety informational notice posted on February 16, 2024
This was the third false threat at Maxwell Hall in five days, escalating from active shooter reports to a bomb threat
The pattern of targeting the same building prompted DPS to coordinate with the FBI
Context

Background

Over the course of five days in February 2024, Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs was targeted by three separate false threat reports. The first came Sunday evening, February 11, when a 911 caller reported an active shooter at Maxwell Hall and Eggers Hall. DPS quickly confirmed the report was false through video review. Less than 24 hours later, a second false active shooter report targeted the same buildings at 11:47 AM on February 12. In a campus-wide email sent Monday night, Associate Vice President and Chief of Campus Safety and Emergency Management Services Craig Stone wrote: 'We take all these reports seriously and investigate fully. Despite both of these incidents being swatting calls, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) will maintain increased patrols at Maxwell and Eggers Halls. DPS is also in contact with the FBI and local law enforcement as the investigation into who made these calls continues.' Then on Friday, February 16, a false bomb threat was called in to Maxwell Hall, which was again quickly determined to be false. Students described the fear and disruption the incidents caused, with one student telling Jerk Magazine that 'all of us just froze.' DPS worked with the FBI and other law enforcement partners to investigate who was responsible for the false reports.
Analysis

Key Findings

Three false threats targeted the same building complex in five days, suggesting a coordinated swatting campaign
DPS was able to quickly confirm each report as false through video surveillance review
The incidents prompted DPS to bring in the FBI and coordinate with other universities on swatting protocols
Outcome
All three reports were confirmed false. DPS and Syracuse Police reviewed video footage and swept the buildings, finding no evidence of any threat. The FBI was brought in to assist with the investigation into who was responsible.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    DPS receives 'false' active shooter report at Maxwell, Eggers Hall (Daily Orange)
    dailyorange.com
  2. Student Paper
    DPS receives false bomb threat at Maxwell Hall (Daily Orange)
    dailyorange.com
  3. Official
    Public Safety Informational Notice: FALSE Report (Syracuse DPS)
    dps.syr.edu
  4. Official
    Public Safety Informational Notice: FALSE Bomb Threat (Syracuse DPS)
    dps.syr.edu
  5. News
    Syracuse University faces third false threat in a week (CNY Central)
    cnycentral.com
Tags
swattingbomb-threatactive-shooter-hoaxfbi-investigationnew-yorkmaxwell-hallrepeat-targetingHoax
Added April 2026Updated June 2026Via ingestion