Campus Alert Archive
Mercer

Three Georgia Colleges in One Day: Mercer's Macon Campus Locked Down as Swatting Wave Hits the Peach State

GAswattingemergency 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 27, 2025, at approximately 12:04 PM EDT, Mercer University received a threatening call about an active threat on its Macon campus, prompting a shelter-in-place order. Bibb County deputies arrived within three minutes, and the shelter-in-place was lifted at 1:25 PM after campus police and sheriff's deputies found no threat.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Mercer University
Private R2 · GA
~9,000 studentsMercer Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatimThe Mercer Cluster student newspaper (verbatim Mercer Alert text)55 chars
An active threat has been reported on the Macon campus.
Verbatim Mercer Alert push-notification text quoted by The Mercer Cluster student newspaper from the August 27, 2025 alert sent at 12:15 PM EDT
The shelter-in-place instruction was included with the email version sent to students and faculty, with no further details about the nature of the threat
Mercer was one of three Georgia colleges targeted on the same day, alongside Central Georgia Technical College and at least one other institution
ALL CLEARSMS
Verified verbatimThe Mercer Cluster student newspaper (verbatim all-clear text)46 chars
There is no active threat on the Macon campus.
Verbatim Mercer Alert all-clear text quoted by The Mercer Cluster student newspaper after the shelter-in-place was lifted at approximately 1:25 PM EDT
The full shelter-in-place lasted approximately 80 minutes from the 12:04 PM threatening call to the 1:25 PM lift
FBI Atlanta confirmed awareness of the Georgia college swatting incidents and was working with local law enforcement
Context

Background

On August 27, 2025, Mercer University received a threatening call at 12:04 PM reporting an active threat on its Macon campus. Bibb County Sheriff's deputies arrived within three minutes and joined Mercer University Police in sweeping the campus. The shelter-in-place was lifted at 1:25 PM after no threat was found. The incident was one of at least three Georgia colleges targeted on the same day, including Central Georgia Technical College, which had been locked down the day before for a similar hoax call. FBI Atlanta confirmed it was aware of the surge and was working with local partners. The Georgia cluster demonstrated how the Purgatory swatting campaign expanded from its initial university targets to include smaller private institutions and technical colleges across the state.
Analysis

Key Findings

Mercer was one of at least three Georgia colleges hit on the same day, showing geographic clustering in the swatting campaign
Bibb County deputies arrived within three minutes, demonstrating rapid law enforcement response
FBI Atlanta publicly confirmed awareness and investigation of the Georgia college swatting surge
Outcome
No shooter or threat was found. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office and Mercer Police ruled it a false alarm. The incident was one of three Georgia college swatting calls that day. FBI Atlanta was investigating.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    Shelter-in-place lifted on campus after active threat reported (The Mercer Cluster)
    mercercluster.com
  2. News
    Mercer University students speak on false alarm (WPGA News)
    wpganews.com
  3. News
    Multiple Georgia colleges respond to false shooter threats (13WMAZ)
    13wmaz.com
  4. News
    FBI Atlanta investigates surge of swatting calls at Georgia colleges (WGXA)
    wgxa.tv
Tags
swattingactive-shooter-hoaxpurgatorygeorgiamaconfbi-investigationprivate-universitymultiple-schools-same-dayHoax
Added April 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion