Drew

Drew Is Aware of a Situation at St. Elizabeth University and Is Monitoring

Tuesday, April 4, 2023NJshelter in placeemergency notificationhigh 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 April 4, 2023, Drew University in Madison, NJ went into a shelter-in-place protocol for nearly four hours after a threat of violence by a potentially armed suspect at nearby Saint Elizabeth University prompted Morris County to close several area schools. Drew Public Safety reassured the community there was no known threat to its own campus.

Alerts: 3
Response: —
Killed: 0
Injured: 0

Institution

Drew University

Private Masters · NJ

~2,200 studentsDrew Alert

Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

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 ALERTSMSApr 4, 2023, 2:48 PM EDT

Verified verbatimThe Drew Acorn (student newspaper)131 chars

Drew is aware of a situation at St. Elizabeth University and is monitoring the activity. There is no known threat to Drew's campus.

Sent at 10:48 AM EDT on April 4, 2023 through the Drew University campus alert system, per The Drew Acorn

The text walks a delicate line — a Clery 'emergency notification' acknowledging the situation while explicitly disclaiming a direct threat to Drew

Saint Elizabeth University is a separate Catholic institution on Convent Station Road in Florham Park, roughly 4 miles from Drew's Madison campus

UPDATESMSLate morning of April 4, 2023, after Morris County escalated the regional response

Approximate reconstruction298 chars

Drew Alert: Out of an abundance of caution, all classes and campus operations are now in shelter-in-place mode due to ongoing police activity in the area. Remain in your current building. Lock or secure doors. Stay away from windows. Continue to monitor your email and the Drew website for updates.

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

Reconstructed from Drew Acorn reporting that students were directed to remain in their buildings during the shelter-in-place

The escalation came after Morris County closed several area schools as a precaution against the reported armed suspect at Saint Elizabeth University

ALL CLEARSMSApr 4, 2023, 7:03 PM EDT+4h 15m

Approximate reconstruction270 chars

Drew Alert: The shelter-in-place has been lifted. The situation at Saint Elizabeth University has been resolved by law enforcement. Normal campus operations have resumed. Counseling and support resources are available for any community member affected by today's events.

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

Reconstructed from The Drew Acorn report indicating the all-clear arrived at 3:03 PM EDT on April 4, 2023, lifting the shelter-in-place that had begun roughly four hours earlier

Saint Elizabeth University was ultimately determined not to have an active shooter — the report had been unfounded

Context

Background

Drew University is a small private liberal arts and theological institution in Madison, NJ, roughly 4 miles from Saint Elizabeth University in Florham Park. On the morning of April 4, 2023, Saint Elizabeth went into lockdown after a report of a potentially armed suspect, prompting Morris County to close several area schools as a precaution. Drew first sent a 10:48 AM EDT alert acknowledging the situation but disclaiming a direct threat, then escalated to a campus-wide shelter-in-place. Students remained in their buildings until the all-clear arrived at 3:03 PM EDT. The incident drew criticism from students about the gap between the initial 'monitoring' alert and the formal shelter-in-place order, raising the same Clery timing question that has dogged campuses across the US: when do you go from advisory to emergency notification? The case is also notable as a near-neighbor incident that pulled Drew into the response loop without a direct threat to its own campus.

Outcome

No active shooter was found at Saint Elizabeth University. Drew released its shelter-in-place at 3:03 PM EDT after Morris County authorities cleared the area.

Provenance

Sources

Student Paper
Drew Community Questions Safety Protocols After Shelter-In-Place (The Drew Acorn)
thedrewacorn.com
News
UPDATE: 'No active shooter,' but Saint Elizabeth remains on lockdown (Morristown Green)
morristowngreen.com
News
Alert at Drew University Forces Students to 'Shelter in Place' (TAPinto Madison)
tapinto.net
News
'Unverified' Gun Report Caused Shelter In Place At Drew (Madison Patch)
patch.com
Official
Emergency Information (Drew University)
drew.edu

Alert Sequence

Background

Sources

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