Vassar

Former Student's Fizz Post Threatens Bomb and Shooter on Vassar Move-In Day

Friday, August 29, 2025NYbomb 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 August 29, 2025, an anonymous post on the college social media platform Fizz warned of a bomb in a third-floor restroom and an active shooter at a Vassar College dormitory during move-in day. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including K-9 units, responded and evacuated Davison House. The building was searched and cleared. Former student Nigel Trenh was later arrested by the FBI in connection with the hoax.

Alerts: 2
Response: —
Killed: —
Injured: —

Institution

Vassar College

Private Liberal Arts · NY

~2,500 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 ALERTPushMorning of August 29, 2025 EDT

Approximate reconstruction266 chars

VASSAR SECURITY ALERT: A threatening post has been reported on social media referencing a possible bomb and active shooter at a campus dormitory. Campus safety and law enforcement are responding. Avoid the area near Davison House. Shelter in place if you are nearby.

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

Students reported the Fizz post to campus security, who immediately contacted the Town of Poughkeepsie police

The threat was made on Fizz, a social media platform specifically for college students

The post specifically mentioned a bomb in the third-floor restroom and an active shooter on campus

ALL CLEARPushMorning of August 29, 2025 EDT, after the building was cleared

Approximate reconstruction194 chars

VASSAR SECURITY UPDATE: Davison House has been searched and cleared by law enforcement and K-9 units. No threat was found. The building is safe for reentry. Normal move-in activities may resume.

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

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded, including Town of Poughkeepsie police with K-9 support

The building was fully swept before students were allowed to reenter

Context

Background

On the morning of August 29, 2025, Vassar College students discovered a threatening post on Fizz, a social media platform for college students, warning of a bomb in a third-floor restroom and an active shooter at a campus dormitory. The post appeared on move-in day, when new and returning students and their families were on campus. Students reported the post to campus security, who contacted the Town of Poughkeepsie police. The college received the threat around 9:40 AM EDT and law enforcement from multiple agencies converged on campus and evacuated Davison House. K-9 units conducted a full sweep of the premises, and President Elizabeth Bradley updated the community via email at 2:00 PM EDT that the threat had been determined to be a hoax after police and Campus Safety concluded their search. The Miscellany News, Vassar's student newspaper, reported the threat was directed at Davison House. In December 2025, FBI agents arrested Nigel Trenh at his Los Angeles home. Trenh, a former Vassar student whose LinkedIn indicated he intended to graduate in 2026, was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York with anonymously posting the false threats. Investigators found the Fizz post was part of a broader pattern of threatening and harassing communications targeting Vassar personnel, including emails and messages referencing on-campus violence.

Analysis

Key Findings

The threat was posted on Fizz, a college-specific social media platform, rather than through a traditional 911 swatting call

The perpetrator was a former student with an apparent grudge, not a random swatting group

FBI arrested former student Nigel Trenh in Los Angeles in December 2025, months after the move-in day incident

Outcome

Davison House was evacuated, searched by K-9 units, and cleared. No bomb or shooter was found. In December 2025, the FBI arrested former Vassar student Nigel Trenh in Los Angeles and charged him with making the hoax threats.

Provenance

Sources

Official
Follow-up on this Morning's Alert pt II (Vassar College, President's Office)
vassar.edu
Student Paper
Hoax bomb threat directed at Davison (The Miscellany News)
miscellanynews.org
News
Former Vassar student arrested in bomb hoax (Mid Hudson News)
midhudsonnews.com
News
Feds Charge Former Vassar Student Over Move-In Day Campus Bomb Threat (Patch)
patch.com
Source
Former Vassar College student allegedly spread bomb threat, active shooter hoax (MCAC)
mcac.maryland.gov
Source
Former Vassar student Nigel Trenh arrested in campus bomb/active-shooter hoax (GJL&L Criminal Lawyer Blog)
gjllp.com

Alert Sequence

Background

Key Findings

Sources

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