{ "id": "2024-08-29-chattanooga-state-community-college-threat", "slug": "chattanooga-state-community-college-threat-2024-08-29", "institution": { "name": "Chattanooga State Community College", "shortName": "Chatt State", "state": "TN", "type": "community-college", "alertSystemName": "TigerAlert", "enrollment": 8000 }, "incident": { "date": "2024-08-29", "type": "threat-of-violence", "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification", "resolution": "confirmed-hoax", "headline": "Extortion caller threatening students prompts a three-hour lockdown; deemed a hoax", "headlinePublic": "Extortion caller threatening students prompts a three-hour lockdown; deemed a hoax", "summary": "On August 29, 2024, [Chattanooga State Community College went on lockdown](https://www.chattanoogastate.edu/august-29-2024) at about 9:52 AM EDT, when its TigerAlert system directed students to shelter in place. Chattanooga Police received multiple calls from someone [demanding payment and threatening to harm students](https://www.chattanoogan.com/2024/8/29/491614/CPD-Says-Chattanooga-State-Lockdown.aspx). A large multi-agency response involving the FBI, ATF, Tennessee Homeland Security, and nearly a dozen local agencies swept the campus. After more than [three hours of lockdown](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/29/chatt-state-on-lockdown-shelter-in-place/), law enforcement determined the threat was a hoax.", "outcome": "The threat was determined to be a hoax after more than three hours. The lockdown was lifted shortly after 1:00 PM EDT. Classes were cancelled and the college closed for the remainder of the day." }, "alerts": [ { "sequence": 1, "type": "initial", "timestamp": "2024-08-29T09:52:00-04:00", "channel": "twitter-x", "verbatimText": "Get indoors as soon as possible, shelter in place and lock your door.", "isVerbatimConfirmed": true, "sourceUrl": "https://www.newsweek.com/chattanooga-state-college-lockdown-active-shooter-update-1946217", "sourceDescription": "Newsweek reproduced the verbatim text of the Chattanooga State X (Twitter) post issued at 9:52 AM EDT", "annotations": [ "Issued at 9:52 AM EDT on August 29, 2024 to the college's official X (Twitter) feed, the spare 13-word imperative is characteristic of Twitter/X campus alerts where character economy matters", "The caller's unusual motive (demanding payment in exchange for not harming students) distinguished this from typical swatting calls", "The massive multi-agency response included CPD, FBI, ATF, TN Emergency Management, TN Homeland Security, Chattanooga Fire Department, Red Bank PD, Soddy Daisy PD, Cleveland State CC Police, Hamilton County Park Rangers, and Hamilton County EMS" ], "characterCount": 69 }, { "sequence": 2, "type": "update", "timestampApprox": "Shortly after 9:52 AM EDT on August 29, 2024", "channel": "twitter-x", "verbatimText": "As this situation continues to unfold, please remain in your locked-down status until further notice.", "isVerbatimConfirmed": true, "sourceUrl": "https://www.newsweek.com/chattanooga-state-college-lockdown-active-shooter-update-1946217", "sourceDescription": "Newsweek reproduced the verbatim text of the follow-up Chattanooga State X (Twitter) update", "annotations": [ "Follow-up X post sustaining the lockdown. Newsweek attribution: 'Authorities provided another update shortly after: As this situation continues to unfold...'", "The 'locked-down status' phrasing is unusual for emergency notification messaging" ], "characterCount": 101 }, { "sequence": 3, "type": "all-clear", "timestamp": "2024-08-29T13:06:00-04:00", "channel": "multi-channel", "verbatimText": "TigerAlert: Lockdown lifted. Classes are cancelled. College is closed today - 08/29/2024. Supports for students & employees available. Please check email.", "isVerbatimConfirmed": true, "sourceUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/ChattState/posts/918765933614184/", "sourceDescription": "Chattanooga State Community College official TigerAlert post (also reproduced by Newsweek and WSMV)", "annotations": [ "Verbatim TigerAlert lockdown-lifted message posted at 1:06 PM EDT on August 29, 2024, after the threat was determined to be a hoax, ending a lockdown of more than three hours", "Classes were cancelled for the remainder of the day despite the hoax determination, reflecting the significant disruption caused", "Some students continued learning during the lockdown, a digital electronics class at the college carried on with lessons while sheltering in place" ], "characterCount": 154 } ], "context": "On August 29, 2024, [Chattanooga State Community College was placed on lockdown](https://www.chattanoogastate.edu/august-29-2024) at about 9:52 AM EDT, when its TigerAlert system directed students to shelter in place. Police received multiple calls from someone [demanding payment and threatening to harm students](https://www.chattanoogan.com/2024/8/29/491614/CPD-Says-Chattanooga-State-Lockdown.aspx) if payment was not received. The threat prompted a large multi-agency response, with the [Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/29/chatt-state-on-lockdown-shelter-in-place/) reporting that the FBI, ATF, Tennessee Emergency Management, Tennessee Homeland Security, and nearly a dozen local and regional law enforcement agencies responded. Students and staff sheltered in place for over three hours while officers swept the campus. [Newsweek reported](https://www.newsweek.com/chattanooga-state-college-lockdown-active-shooter-update-1946217) that the threat was ultimately determined to be a hoax, and the lockdown was lifted shortly after 1:00 PM EDT. Classes were cancelled for the rest of the day. Notably, [the Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/29/learning-through-lockdown-chatt-state-digital/) documented how a digital electronics class continued their lesson while sheltering in place. The [Mocs News student outlet](https://www.mocsnews.com/2024/08/29/chattanooga-state-on-lockdown/) provided live coverage of the unfolding situation.", "keyFindings": [ "The caller's extortion motive (demanding payment to spare students) was unusual among campus threat incidents and distinguished this from typical swatting", "The multi-agency response included at least 12 different law enforcement and emergency management agencies", "A digital electronics class continued their lesson while sheltering in place, a detail documented by the Times Free Press" ], "sources": [ { "title": "August 29, 2024 Statement (Chattanooga State Community College)", "url": "https://www.chattanoogastate.edu/august-29-2024", "type": "official-archive" }, { "title": "CPD Says Chattanooga State Lockdown Due To Caller Demanding Payment (Chattanoogan.com)", "url": "https://www.chattanoogan.com/2024/8/29/491614/CPD-Says-Chattanooga-State-Lockdown.aspx", "type": "local-media" }, { "title": "Chatt State lockdown lifted (Chattanooga Times Free Press)", "url": "https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2024/aug/29/chatt-state-on-lockdown-shelter-in-place/", "type": "local-media" }, { "title": "Chattanooga State Community College Hourslong Lockdown Lifted (Newsweek)", "url": "https://www.newsweek.com/chattanooga-state-college-lockdown-active-shooter-update-1946217", "type": "national-media" }, { "title": "Lockdown lifted following threat (WSMV Nashville)", "url": "https://www.wsmv.com/2024/08/29/lockdown-lifted-following-threat-chattanooga-state-community-college/", "type": "local-media" }, { "title": "Chattanooga State Community College official TigerAlert post (also reproduced by Newsweek and WSMV)", "url": "https://www.facebook.com/ChattState/posts/918765933614184/", "type": "official-archive" } ], "confidence": "high", "tags": [ "threat-of-violence", "extortion", "community-college", "hoax", "multi-agency-response", "tennessee", "shelter-in-place", "classes-cancelled" ], "dateAdded": "2026-04-04", "lastUpdated": "2026-07-16", "addedBy": "ingestion" }