Campus Alert Archive
UTC

Swatting incident, May 1, 2026

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TNswattingadvisoryhigh confidence
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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 May 1, 2026, the FBI announced charges against a Pennsylvania juvenile for the August 21, 2025 active-shooter hoax that locked down UTC's library and triggered a massive law-enforcement response. The juvenile, a self-identified member of a cybercriminal group called Purgatory, is accused of randomly targeting universities across the country. UTC issued a follow-up community advisory and the chancellor sent a campus message thanking the FBI and the campus community.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Public R2 · TN
All UTC cases →
~11,000 studentsUTC-Alert
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.

FOLLOW-UPEmail
Verified verbatimRe-verified via case sources on blog.utc.edu490 chars
We are grateful to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their leadership and persistence in identifying those responsible for this dangerous and disruptive act. The FBI's work sends a clear message that individuals who seek to terrorize communities through hoaxes will be held accountable. I remain grateful to our campus community for your cooperation during the Aug. 21 incident and to our local, state, and federal partners for their continued commitment to safety and accountability.
Bruce's confirmed language emphasizes gratitude and accountability ('individuals who seek to terrorize communities through hoaxes will be held accountable') rather than trauma framing
Context

Background

On August 21, 2025, the first week of fall classes at UTC, an anonymous caller falsely reported an active shooter inside the campus library, prompting an immediate large-scale law-enforcement response. UTC issued a campus alert at 12:42 p.m. EDT warning of a potential active shooter outside the university center or library; officers methodically cleared buildings and evacuated students before lifting the lockdown about an hour later. Erlanger hospital separately received an unfounded threat the same day. On April 30, 2026, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced charges against a Pennsylvania juvenile in connection with the hoax. According to federal prosecutors, the juvenile is a self-identified member of a cybercriminal group called Purgatory and randomly targeted universities and institutions across the country with similar swatting calls during the same period. UTC issued a community advisory about the federal charges, and Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce followed with a campus message thanking the FBI and crediting the campus community's cooperation during the original incident. The case illustrates how the post-incident 'closure' message has become a standard part of the campus-alert ecosystem, with universities investing rhetorical effort in framing resolution as community resilience even when the underlying perpetrator is a single anonymous teenager.
Analysis

Key Findings

The Pennsylvania juvenile is identified as a member of the 'Purgatory' cybercriminal group that targeted multiple universities with swatting calls
The original UTC lockdown lasted about an hour, with campus library and university center cleared at gunpoint
Chancellor Lori Mann Bruce's confirmed statement said the FBI's work 'sends a clear message that individuals who seek to terrorize communities through hoaxes will be held accountable'
The arrest came over eight months after the incident, demonstrating the federal investigative timeline for swatting cases
Outcome
A juvenile from Pennsylvania faces federal charges for placing the August 21, 2025 active-shooter hoax call to UTC. The juvenile is described as a member of a cybercriminal group known as Purgatory. UTC's library and university center were searched at gunpoint during the original incident; no one was injured, and Erlanger hospital separately received an unfounded threat the same day.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    FBI announces arrest involving Aug. 21, 2025 active shooter hoax - UTC News
    blog.utc.edu
    archived copy
  2. Official
    From the UTC Chancellor: Reaction to Shooting Hoax Arrest - Mocs News
    mocsnews.com
    archived copy
  3. News
    Juvenile charged following 'swatting' calls targeting UTC, other universities - Chattanooga Times Free Press
    timesfreepress.com
    archived copy
  4. News
    Charges Announced Against Cybercriminal Group 'Purgatory' Member For Swatting Calls - Chattanoogan.com
    chattanoogan.com
    archived copy
  5. News
    DOJ says Pennsylvania juvenile faces federal charges tied to August 2025 UTC swatting hoax - NewsChannel 9
    newschannel9.com
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Tennessee at Chattanooga: Swatting incident, May 1, 2026." Incident of May 1, 2026. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/utc-swatting-hoax-arrest-followup-2026-05-01/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
swattingtennesseepublic-r2purgatorycybercriminal-groupfederal-chargesfbiactive-shooter-hoaxHoax
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion