Campus Alert Archive
UNR

Fifteen Minutes to Clear the Quad: UNR Swatting Call Part of Nationwide Campus Wave

NVswattingemergency 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.

At approximately 8:24 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, 2023, University Police received a call claiming there was an active shooter on the Quad. Officers from UNR police and multiple first-responding agencies mobilized immediately. Within 15 minutes, the campus was searched and cleared. The call was traced to a text-to-call phone number from out of state, confirming it as a swatting hoax.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
University of Nevada, Reno
Public R1 · NV
~21,000 studentsUNR Emergency Alerts
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 reconstruction117 chars
UNR ALERT: Active shooter reported on the Quad. Seek shelter immediately. Avoid the area. Follow police instructions.

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

Reconstructed from news coverage and UNR president's message; exact alert text not confirmed from official archive
The call was received at 8:24 p.m., and officers responded with multiple agencies
The Quad is a central open area on the UNR campus, heavily trafficked during daytime but less so on a Sunday evening
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction177 chars
UNR ALERT UPDATE: Campus has been cleared. No threat found. The report of an active shooter on the Quad has been determined to be a hoax swatting call. Resume normal activities.

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

Reconstructed from news reports; the campus was cleared within 15 minutes of the initial call
UNR President Brian Sandoval issued a follow-up message the next morning confirming the swatting determination
The call was made using a text-to-call phone number from out of state
Context

Background

The University of Nevada, Reno became one of numerous campuses targeted by swatting hoaxes during a concentrated wave of false active shooter reports in April 2023. The call came in at 8:24 p.m. on a Sunday evening, claiming there was an active shooter on the Quad, a central campus gathering area. University Police mobilized alongside multiple community first-responding agencies and cleared the campus within 15 minutes, finding no evidence of any threat. The Reno Police Department determined the call was placed using a text-to-call phone number originating from out of state, a common technique in coordinated swatting campaigns. UNR President Brian Sandoval addressed the campus community the following morning, acknowledging the fear the incident caused while confirming the hoax determination. The incident highlighted both the speed of the university's emergency response and the growing national problem of campus swatting.
Analysis

Key Findings

UNR police and partner agencies cleared the entire campus within 15 minutes of the initial swatting call
The call was traced to an out-of-state text-to-call number, consistent with coordinated swatting campaigns
UNR was one of many colleges targeted in a wave of campus swatting incidents during the same week in April 2023
Outcome
Confirmed hoax. No shots fired, no injuries, no suspect found on campus. The call originated from an out-of-state text-to-call number. UNR was one of many campuses targeted by swatting calls that week.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    'Swatting' police call to UNR one of many across U.S. campuses this week (This Is Reno)
    thisisreno.com
  2. official statement
    Campus Public Safety - President's Message (University of Nevada, Reno)
    unr.edu
  3. News
    Police respond to swatting call at UNR (KOLO-TV)
    kolotv.com
  4. Student Paper
    BREAKING: Police respond to 'swatting' hoax at UNR (The Nevada Sagebrush)
    nevadasagebrush.com
Tags
swattinghoaxconfirmed-hoaxactive-shooter-hoaxnevadaapril-2023-waverapid-clearanceHoax
Added April 2026Updated April 2026Via ingestion