Campus Alert Archive
Penn State

Eight Buildings, One Hoax: When a National Bomb Threat Wave Hit University Park

PAbomb threatemergency 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 December 13, 2018, emailed bomb threats were sent to multiple buildings on Penn State's University Park campus as part of a nationwide hoax that targeted institutions across the country. Eight buildings received specific threats including the Rider Building, University Park Airport, Tyson Building, Johnston/Findlay Commons in East Halls, the Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, Henning Building, Redifer Commons, and the Greenburg Complex. Police investigated and determined the threats were not credible.

Alerts
3
Response
min
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Pennsylvania State University
Public R1 · PA
~46,000 studentsPSUAlert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 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 ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction217 chars
PSUAlert: University Police and the FBI are investigating threats to several campus buildings at University Park. If you are in one of the affected buildings, follow directions from police. More information to follow.

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

Issued at 2:14 p.m. when classes were in session across campus
FBI involvement mentioned in the initial alert, suggesting authorities quickly connected to a broader pattern
'Several campus buildings' is vague but reflects the multi-building nature of the threat
Does not name the specific buildings in this SMS; details were sent via email to building occupants
UPDATEEmail+46 min
Approximate reconstruction522 chars
PSUAlert Update: University Police and the FBI continue to investigate bomb threats received by email at several University Park campus buildings including Rider Building, University Park Airport, Tyson Building, Johnston/Findlay Commons in East Halls, Agricultural Sciences and Industries Building, Henning Building, Redifer Commons, and the Greenburg Complex. Police have determined that evacuations are not necessary at this time. Normal university operations continue. The threats appear to be part of a national hoax.

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

Names all eight targeted buildings for the first time in the alert sequence
'Evacuations are not necessary' is a significant judgment call; police assessed the threats as non-credible
'Part of a national hoax' provides important context that reduced panic
The decision to continue normal operations despite active threats reflected confidence in the hoax assessment
ALL CLEARSMS+2h 46m
Approximate reconstruction184 chars
PSUAlert: All clear. University Police have concluded their investigation into the bomb threats at University Park. The threats are believed to be a hoax. No further action is planned.

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

All-clear issued at approximately 5:00 p.m., about three hours after the initial alert
'Believed to be a hoax' rather than 'confirmed as a hoax' reflects the ongoing nature of the FBI investigation
'No further action is planned' signals a definitive conclusion to the campus response
The nationwide scope of the hoax was still being investigated by federal authorities
Context

Background

The December 13, 2018 bomb threats at Penn State were part of a massive nationwide wave of emailed bomb threats that targeted schools, businesses, and government buildings across the United States. The threats, which demanded payment in Bitcoin, were quickly assessed as non-credible by law enforcement agencies coordinating their response. At Penn State, eight buildings received specific threat emails, spanning academic buildings, dining commons, and even the University Park Airport. University Police and the FBI investigated jointly. Notably, Penn State chose not to evacuate any of the targeted buildings, a decision that reflected both the assessed credibility of the threats and the logistical challenge of evacuating eight buildings simultaneously during the academic day. The PSUAlert system used multiple channels including SMS, email, and the university website. This incident illustrates how institutions handle mass hoax threats that require investigation but are not assessed as credible enough to disrupt operations.
Analysis

Key Findings

Eight buildings targeted simultaneously, spanning academic, residential, dining, and airport facilities
No evacuations ordered despite active bomb threats, reflecting confidence in the hoax assessment
FBI involvement from the initial alert indicates rapid connection to the nationwide pattern
'Part of a national hoax' context in the update helped reduce campus panic
Three-hour investigation window from initial alert to all-clear
Outcome
All threats determined to be hoax. Part of a nationwide bomb threat wave. No evacuations ordered. No explosive devices found. FBI investigated the broader pattern.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    University Police investigating reported bomb threats; believed to be hoax, Penn State News
    psu.edu
  2. News
    Police: Penn State, Local Bomb Threats Believed to Be Part of National Hoax, StateCollege.com
    statecollege.com
  3. News
    BREAKING: Penn State Police and FBI investigate bomb threats, WTAJ
    wtaj.com
Tags
bomb-threathoaxconfirmed-hoaxnationwide-wavefbi-investigationmulti-building-threatno-evacuationbitcoin-demand2018Hoax
Added April 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion