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West Virginia University (WVU) was the target of a shooting hoax early Tuesday morning.
In a statement, WVU Police Chief Sherry St. Clair said MECCA 911, the Monongalia County Emergency Management system, notified university police of a report that shots had been fired at the downtown library.
“Our officers responded immediately as we do in all emergencies,” St. Clair said. She said they cleared the building and determined the report was false.
The incident, under investigation, is the latest in a troubling trend.
At least four other college campuses have faced similar false reports in the past week.
The University of South Carolina issued a “possible active shooter” report Sunday afternoon.
Last Thursday, Pennsylvania’s Villanova University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga were locked down after active shooter reports that were later deemed to be false.
One Villanova school official called it a “cruel hoax.”
Anyone with information about the WVU incident is asked to call University Police at 304-293-3136.