Campus Alert Archive
UNH

Two Minutes to Debunk: UNH Police Clear Dimond Library Swatting Call as National Wave Hits New Hampshire

NHswattingemergency 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.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on September 25, 2025, the Strafford County Sheriff's Office received a call reporting an active shooter at Dimond Library on the UNH Durham campus. UNH and Durham police responded in under two minutes and quickly confirmed there was no threat. The incident was part of a nationwide wave of swatting hoaxes targeting college campuses in fall 2025.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of New Hampshire
Public R1 · NH
~15,000 studentsRaveUNH Alert
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 reconstruction123 chars
UNH ALERT: Active shooter reported at Dimond Library. Seek shelter immediately. Avoid the area. Follow police instructions.

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

Reconstructed from news coverage of the incident; exact wording not confirmed from official archive
UNH and Durham police responded in under two minutes, among the fastest response times documented in the Purgatory swatting wave
Dimond Library is the main library on UNH's Durham campus, a high-traffic location
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction115 chars
UNH ALERT UPDATE: No shots fired. There is no danger to the community. The report has been determined to be a hoax.

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

Reconstructed from news reports; exact text not confirmed from official source
All-clear came unusually fast compared to other swatting incidents, where building clearing often takes hours
UNH police confirmed the call was a hoax, consistent with the pattern of the national swatting wave
Context

Background

The University of New Hampshire became one of more than 20 colleges targeted by swatting hoaxes in fall 2025. The false report of an active shooter at Dimond Library came in through the Strafford County Sheriff's Office, following a pattern seen at campuses across 17 states. UNH and Durham police responded in less than two minutes, one of the fastest confirmed response times in the wave. The rapid confirmation that no threat existed spared the campus a prolonged lockdown. The incident occurred as the FBI was actively investigating the coordinated swatting campaign, with an online group claiming credit for calling in fake shooter reports to law enforcement agencies near college campuses.
Analysis

Key Findings

UNH and Durham police responded in under two minutes, among the fastest confirmed responses in the fall 2025 swatting wave
The call came through Strafford County Sheriff's Office rather than directly to campus police, a routing pattern that can add delay
UNH was one of more than 20 campuses targeted across 17 states in the coordinated swatting campaign
Outcome
Confirmed hoax. No shots fired, no injuries, no suspect found. UNH police cleared the building rapidly.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    UNH police respond to hoax shooter report at Dimond Library amid national trend (The New Hampshire)
    tnhdigital.com
  2. News
    UNH active shooter report was false, officials say (NBC Boston)
    nbcboston.com
  3. News
    FBI investigates college swatting hoaxes terrorizing campuses across US (Fox News)
    foxnews.com
Tags
swattinghoaxconfirmed-hoaxpurgatory-wavelibraryactive-shooter-hoaxnew-hampshirefbi-investigationHoax
Added April 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion