Wording not preserved
A initial alert message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
Penn
'Shots fired' alert traced to a car running over bike-lane delineators
AI-generated · every claim is source-linkedUnfoundedNo evidence of an actual threat was found. The institutional response is documented because the alert communication is identical to what would occur during a real incident.
On September 19, 2024, at 5:05 PM EDT, Penn issued a UPennAlert warning of 'SHOTS FIRED' at 39th and Walnut streets after witnesses reported hearing what sounded like gunfire. Two individuals were arrested after fleeing a vehicle stop by Philadelphia Police. The sounds perceived as gunshots were actually a speeding car running over bike lane delineators. An all-clear was issued at 5:35 PM EDT.
- Alerts
- 2
- Response
- —
- Killed
- 0
- Injured
- 0
~28,306 studentsUPennAlert
Official alert policy
Read when and how Penn says it will use UPennAlert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline
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.
While initial reports stated gun shots had been fired, upon investigation it was determined no shots had been fired.
Verbatim text from the updated UPennAlert as directly quoted by the Daily Pennsylvanian: 'While initial reports stated gun shots had been fired, upon investigation it was determined no shots had been fired.'
The all-clear was issued at 5:35 PM EDT, exactly 30 minutes after the initial alert
Investigation determined no shots were fired; the perceived gunshots were caused by the vehicle striking bike lane delineators while fleeing police
Context
Background
On September 19, 2024, the University of Pennsylvania sent a UPennAlert at 5:05 PM EDT warning of SHOTS FIRED at 39th and Walnut streets, a major intersection on campus. Philadelphia Police officers had been conducting a vehicle investigation on Walnut Street when the driver began driving erratically, swerving into the bike lane and knocking down the delineators designed to block cars. The sounds of the car hitting the plastic delineators were mistaken for gunshots by witnesses. Two individuals fled the vehicle and were apprehended on campus: one near the Tangen Center on Sansom Street and the other near Perry World House. Neither suspect was armed. An all-clear was issued at 5:35 PM EDT. The incident later prompted criticism from faculty who questioned whether the alert's language unnecessarily heightened fear on campus.
Analysis
Key Findings
The false alarm lasted 30 minutes from the initial alert to the all-clear
Bike lane delineators being struck by a speeding car produced sounds that multiple witnesses interpreted as gunshots
The incident prompted discussion about whether UPennAlert language could be more measured to avoid unnecessary panic
Outcome
No shots were actually fired. Two individuals were arrested on campus after fleeing a Philadelphia Police vehicle stop. Neither suspect was armed. The entire incident from alert to all-clear lasted 30 minutes.
Provenance
Sources
- Student Paper
- Student Paper
- Official
Cite this case
Campus Alert Archive. "University of Pennsylvania: 'Shots fired' alert traced to a car running over bike-lane delineators." Incident of September 19, 2024. Added May 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/university-of-pennsylvania-false-alarm-2024-09-19/
Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.
Tags
false-alarmshots-firedpolice-activityvehicle-chasepennsylvaniaivy-leagueprivate-universityUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion