Campus Alert Archive
Bucknell

Bertrand Library Swatted for the Second Time in Five Weeks as Lockdown Confusion Frustrates Students

PAswattingemergency 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.

On September 28, 2025, Bucknell University's Bertrand Library was targeted by a swatting call for the second time in five weeks. The caller followed a pattern similar to the August 21 hoax, including playing recorded gunshot sounds during the call. Campus police identified the call as a hoax, but undoing the lockdown took over 30 minutes, leaving students and Residential Advisors confused and without information outside.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Bucknell University
Private Liberal Arts · PA
~3,800 students
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 ALERTPush
Approximate reconstruction151 chars
BUCKNELL ALERT: Reports of an active shooter at Bertrand Library. Shelter in place immediately. Lock doors. Silence phones. Await further instructions.

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

This was the second swatting call targeting Bertrand Library in five weeks, following the August 21, 2025 incident
The caller played recorded gunshot sounds during the call, following the same script as the August 21 hoax
Campus police identified the call as a hoax, but the lockdown process took over 30 minutes to undo
ALL CLEARPush
Approximate reconstruction158 chars
BUCKNELL ALERT UPDATE: All clear. The report at Bertrand Library has been confirmed as a hoax. There is no threat to campus. You may resume normal activities.

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

The all-clear took over 30 minutes to issue, well beyond the intended five-second process for confirming a hoax
Students and RAs were left outside without information during the delay, causing significant frustration
Context

Background

Just five weeks after the August 21 swatting call that first targeted Bertrand Library, Bucknell University was hit again on September 28, 2025. The caller followed a similar script to the earlier hoax, including playing recorded gunshot sounds in the background. Campus Police Chief Morgan quickly identified the call as a hoax, but the lockdown procedure took over 30 minutes to undo, far longer than the intended rapid clearance. During that time, students and Residential Advisors were left outside, confused, and without clear communication about whether the threat was real. The incident underscored the challenge of managing repeat swatting: even when police can quickly identify a hoax, the emergency protocols triggered by the initial report create their own disruption. Bucknell's experience of being targeted three times in eighteen months (once in early 2024 and twice in fall 2025) made it one of the most repeatedly targeted campuses in the nationwide swatting wave. The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism (GPAHE) had previously linked the August 21 call to the Purgatory swatting group.
Analysis

Key Findings

Bertrand Library was targeted for the second time in five weeks, making Bucknell one of the most repeatedly swatted campuses in the country
The caller used the same script, including recorded gunshot sounds, as the August 21 hoax
Despite police quickly identifying the hoax, the lockdown took over 30 minutes to lift, highlighting the operational cost of repeat swatting
Outcome
The call was identified as a hoax by police, but the lockdown took over 30 minutes to lift. Students reported confusion and frustration with the delayed all-clear and lack of communication during the incident.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    What's with all the swatting? Updates and safety advice from Chief Morgan (The Bucknellian)
    bucknellian.net
  2. News
    Anti-extremism researchers identify group behind Villanova and Bucknell hoax calls (Philadelphia Inquirer)
    inquirer.com
  3. Source
    GPAHE Uncovers Group Claiming to be Behind String of University Swatting Calls (GPAHE)
    globalextremism.org
  4. Source
    Extremist Group Claims Responsibility for Swatting Calls (Inside Higher Ed)
    insidehighered.com
Tags
swattingpurgatory-waveactive-shooter-hoaxpennsylvaniabertrand-libraryrepeat-targetingliberal-artslockdown-delaygunshot-soundsHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion