Campus Alert Archive
TU

University Union Evacuated: Towson Clears Building in Under 90 Minutes After Emailed Bomb Threat

MDbomb threatemergency 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.

On September 30, 2025, Towson University received an emailed bomb threat targeting the University Union shortly before 11:30 AM EDT. The building was immediately evacuated, and police worked with Baltimore County agencies to search and clear the building. An all-clear was issued just before 1:00 PM.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Towson University
Public Masters · MD
~22,000 studentsTU Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

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 ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimFox Baltimore quoting the Towson University email alert verbatim132 chars
You should evacuate if in that building and remain clear of the area - further than 500 feet from the building. This is not a drill.
Fox Baltimore reproduced this evacuation instruction verbatim from the email Towson University sent to students and staff after receiving the bomb threat
The 500-foot perimeter language is consistent with federal guidance on standoff distances for confirmed bomb threats
The terse 'This is not a drill.' phrasing reflects the urgency of the message during the September 30 nationwide wave of HBCU and university bomb threats
ALL CLEARPush
Approximate reconstruction167 chars
TU ALERT: All clear. The University Union has been cleared and is reopening. No threat was found. The Towson University Police Department thanks you for your patience.

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

Reconstructed from Towson University's official campus message
The building was cleared in approximately 90 minutes, a relatively fast turnaround
Other universities including Morgan State and Delaware State received similar threats the same day
Context

Background

On September 30, 2025, Towson University officials received notification via email of a bomb threat targeting the University Union shortly before 11:30 AM. The university quickly enacted emergency response protocols, notified the campus community, and immediately evacuated the building. The Towson University Police Department worked with Baltimore County agencies to secure and sweep the building, with an all-clear issued just before 1:00 PM. The incident was not isolated, as nearby Morgan State University and other schools across the country also received similar messages that day. Towson and Morgan State are located within miles of each other in the Baltimore metropolitan area, with both being targeted on the same morning.
Analysis

Key Findings

Towson's 90-minute clearance from threat to all-clear was among the fastest responses in the September 30 wave
The simultaneous targeting of Towson and nearby Morgan State University suggests the threats were geographically coordinated
The university's existing emergency protocols allowed for rapid building evacuation and multi-agency coordination
Outcome
No explosive devices were found. The University Union was cleared and reopened after the all-clear. The incident was part of a nationwide wave of bomb threats affecting multiple universities on the same day.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    A message to the TU community regarding today's bomb threat (Towson University)
    towson.edu
  2. News
    Union building reopens after bomb threat at Towson University (Fox Baltimore)
    foxbaltimore.com
  3. News
    Bomb threats prompt evacuations at Towson, Morgan State universities (Baltimore Sun)
    baltimoresun.com
  4. Student Paper
    Towson University, other colleges receive bomb threats Tuesday morning (The Towerlight)
    thetowerlight.com
Tags
bomb-threathoaxmarylandstudent-unioncoordinated-threatpublic-universitybaltimore-areaHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion