Campus Alert Archive
Nazareth

"Avoid the Library and Clocktower Commons": Nazareth Targeted in National Sept 30 Bomb-Threat Wave

NYbomb 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 Tuesday morning, September 30, 2025, Nazareth University Campus Safety and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded to a bomb threat targeting the campus library and Clocktower Commons. Both buildings were evacuated, and students received text alerts telling them to avoid the affected areas. After a K-9 sweep and search, the threat was deemed not credible and all buildings were cleared.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Nazareth University
Private Masters · NY
~2,900 studentsSafe@Naz
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 ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed from WXXI News, WHEC, and Rochester First coverage citing text messages sent to Nazareth students212 chars
Safe@Naz Alert: Campus Safety has received a bomb threat directed at the library and Clocktower Commons. Both buildings are being evacuated. Please avoid those buildings until further notice. Updates will follow.

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

WXXI News reported that 'Nazareth students reportedly received text messages warning of a bomb threat and urging them to avoid the library and Clock Tower Commons'
The Clocktower Commons is a four-building residence-hall suite complex; the Lorette Wilmot Library is the main campus library — both highly trafficked
Exact alert text not published; reconstructed based on multiple news sources describing the message's content
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed from WHEC coverage citing Nazareth's all-clear message245 chars
Safe@Naz Alert: All clear. Following a thorough search of the library and Clocktower Commons, the threat has been deemed not credible. All buildings have been cleared and normal operations may resume. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

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

WHEC reported that 'a text sent later to students and confirmed with the Monroe County Sheriff's Office indicates the threats were not credible and all buildings were cleared'
A K-9 unit was used to clear the buildings, per WHEC; canine searches are standard for unattended-package and bomb threats in academic buildings
The all-clear message wording is reconstructed; the substance matches what WHEC and WXXI reported
Context

Background

On the morning of September 30, 2025, Nazareth University Campus Safety and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office responded to a bomb threat targeting the Lorette Wilmot Library and the Clocktower Commons residence complex on the Pittsford, NY campus. Both buildings were evacuated, and students received Safe@Naz text alerts directing them to avoid the affected areas. Deputies conducted a K-9 search, and the threat was deemed not credible following a thorough investigation. Across town, the Rochester Institute of Technology received a similar threat the same day; the Monroe County Sheriff's Office characterized both incidents as part of a nationwide swatting trend circulating primarily on TikTok. The threat to Nazareth occurred during one of the most coordinated bomb-threat days of the 2025–26 academic year, with at least 13 institutions targeted nationally — including a heavy emphasis on HBCUs and on academic libraries.
Analysis

Key Findings

Nazareth and nearby RIT both received threats the same morning; the geographic clustering (Rochester area) within a national wave suggests the swatter intentionally targeted multiple campuses in the same news market for maximum disruption
K-9 search is the typical resolution method for non-specific or hoax bomb threats in libraries — faster than a full hand-search and acceptable when the threat lacks credible detail
Targeting both an academic library and a residence-hall complex simultaneously is unusual; most hoax threats focus on a single building type
Outcome
Monroe County Sheriff's deputies and Nazareth Campus Safety conducted a K-9 search of the library and Clocktower Commons and found no explosive device. The threat was classified as a swatting hoax. The incident was one of at least 13 bomb threats targeting US universities on the same day, including Towson, Morgan State, Delaware State, Alabama A&M, the University of Delaware, Prairie View A&M, Lone Star College-University Park, Monroe Community College (NY), RIT, Western Washington, Utah State, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Bomb threats at Nazareth, RIT part of nationwide swatting trend (WXXI News)
    wxxinews.org
  2. News
    Threat against Nazareth University deemed non-credible after K-9 investigation (WHEC)
    whec.com
  3. News
    Nazareth University evacuates areas of campus after bomb threat (Rochester First)
    rochesterfirst.com
  4. News
    Bomb threats at Nazareth and RIT deemed false (Fingerlakes1)
    fingerlakes1.com
  5. News
    Nazareth University: Bomb threats 'not credible,' buildings cleared (Yahoo News)
    yahoo.com
Tags
bomb-threathoaxnew-yorklibraryresidence-hallrochesterk-9-searchcoordinated-threattiktok-trendHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion