Campus Alert Archive
DSU

Anonymous Texts About a Shooter Trigger Full Campus Lockdown at Delaware's Flagship HBCU

DEswattingemergency notificationmedium confidence
UnfoundedNo 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 17, 2019, Delaware State University sent an active shooter alert at 9:57 AM EDT after students reported receiving anonymous text messages about a potential shooter on campus. The entire campus of 5,000 students was locked down while police searched. No shooter was found, no shots had been fired, and the lockdown was lifted just before noon. Classes were canceled for the day.

Alerts
2
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
Delaware State University
Hbcu · DE
~5,000 studentsDSU 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 ALERTmulti-channel
Approximate reconstruction162 chars
Active Shooter Alert: Delaware State University is on lockdown. All students, faculty, and staff remain in place until further notice. Do not leave your building.

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

The alert was triggered after students reported receiving anonymous text messages about a potential shooter on campus
All buildings were locked and students, faculty, and staff were directed to shelter in place while police searched
ALL CLEARmulti-channel
Approximate reconstruction186 chars
DSU ALERT: All Clear. The lockdown has been lifted. There is no active shooter on campus. No shots were fired and no injuries reported. Classes are canceled for the remainder of the day.

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

The lockdown lasted approximately two hours, from about 9:57 AM to just before noon EDT on September 17, 2019
Classes and convocation were canceled for Tuesday; normal operations resumed Wednesday
Context

Background

On the morning of September 17, 2019, students at Delaware State University began receiving anonymous text messages warning of a potential shooter on campus. The university's emergency protocol was immediately activated, and an active shooter alert was sent at 9:57 AM EDT, locking down the entire campus. University police conducted a thorough search of the Dover campus with assistance from the Dover Police Department and Delaware State Police. The lockdown was lifted just before noon after authorities confirmed no active shooter was present, no shots had been fired, and there were no injuries. Classes and convocation were canceled for the day but resumed normally on Wednesday. The incident highlighted how anonymous threats, whether hoaxes or misunderstandings, can trigger full emergency responses at universities. DSU's swift activation of its lockdown protocol demonstrated preparedness, though the source of the anonymous texts was not publicly identified.
Analysis

Key Findings

Anonymous text messages to students triggered the full emergency protocol, showing how social media and messaging can amplify threats
The university activated its lockdown within minutes of receiving the reports and involved multiple law enforcement agencies
The two-hour lockdown disrupted a full day of classes and a convocation ceremony
The source of the anonymous texts was not publicly identified, leaving questions about whether this was a deliberate hoax
Outcome
No active shooter was found. No shots had been fired and no injuries were reported. The lockdown was lifted just before noon. Classes were canceled for Tuesday and the postponed convocation was rescheduled. Classes resumed Wednesday.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Delaware State University Placed On Lockdown After Students Reported Receiving Texts Of Potential Shooter (CBS Philadelphia)
    cbsnews.com
  2. News
    DSU reopens, no active shooter on campus (Delaware Public Media)
    delawarepublic.org
  3. News
    Lockdown lifted after reports of active shooter at Delaware State University are unfounded (WDEL)
    wdel.com
  4. Official
    Police Activity at Delaware State University-Dover (Delaware State Police)
    dsp.delaware.gov
Tags
swattingfalse-alarmhbcudelawareanonymous-threatlockdowntext-message-threatUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion