Campus Alert Archive
DSU

Fifth Threat in Three Years: Delaware State Evacuates Academic Buildings as Nationwide Bomb Wave Hits HBCUs Again

DEbomb 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 September 30, 2025, Delaware State University evacuated academic buildings and canceled classes after receiving a bomb threat shortly before 11:00 AM EDT. University police worked with state and federal authorities to clear the campus, with DSU President Tony Allen confirming the all-clear that afternoon.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Delaware State University
Hbcu · DE
~5,600 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 ALERTPush
Approximate reconstruction199 chars
DSU ALERT: Bomb threat received on campus. Academic buildings are being evacuated. All classes are canceled for the remainder of the day. Non-essential employees are dismissed. Avoid the campus area.

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

Reconstructed from NBC Philadelphia and Delaware Public Media reporting
The threat was received shortly before 11:00 AM EDT
Non-essential university employees were dismissed along with the class cancellation
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction205 chars
FROM THE DESK OF PRESIDENT ALLEN: Police have cleared campus buildings and the university will resume regular operations on Wednesday, October 1. We take all threats seriously and appreciate your patience.

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

Reconstructed from WBOC and Delaware Public Media reporting on President Allen's campus update
The all-clear was issued under the name of DSU President Tony Allen rather than from a generic emergency communications office
Regular operations resumed the following day, October 1
Context

Background

On September 30, 2025, Delaware State University received a bomb threat shortly before 11:00 AM and evacuated academic buildings, canceled classes, and dismissed non-essential employees. The nearby University of Delaware also received a similar threat that same morning, with both institutions coordinating with law enforcement. DSU President Tony Allen confirmed the all-clear later that afternoon and announced regular operations would resume Wednesday. The threat was part of a nationwide wave that also affected Morgan State University, Towson University, and Alabama A&M among others. For Delaware State, this was the latest in a series of bomb threats dating back to the January 2022 wave that targeted HBCUs nationwide.
Analysis

Key Findings

Delaware State has been repeatedly targeted, with bomb threats in January 2022, and again on September 30, 2025
The simultaneous targeting of DSU (HBCU) and the University of Delaware (flagship public) on the same day shows the campaign was not exclusively directed at HBCUs
The university president's direct communication with the campus community has become standard practice during HBCU threat events
Outcome
All campus buildings were cleared and no explosive devices were found. The university resumed regular operations on Wednesday, October 1. The nearby University of Delaware also received a similar threat on the same day.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Delaware State University evacuated due to bomb threat (NBC Philadelphia)
    nbcphiladelphia.com
  2. News
    Bomb threats were called into UD and DSU late Tuesday morning (Delaware Public Media)
    delawarepublic.org
  3. News
    DSU, UD evacuate campus buildings following reported threats (WBOC)
    wboc.com
  4. News
    Delaware State University bomb threat evacuates buildings, cancels classes (WGMD)
    wgmd.com
Tags
hbcubomb-threathoaxdelawarecoordinated-threatrepeat-targetcampus-evacuationHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion