Campus Alert Archive
USF

A Screaming Student, an Hour of Silence: How USF Let Twitter Convince Students There Was a Shooter

CAthreat of violenceadvisorymedium confidence
UnfoundedNo evidence of an actual threat was found. The institutional response is documented because the alert communication is identical to what would occur during a real incident.

On the evening of Sunday, November 24, 2019, a single student screaming threats outside Gillson Hall on the University of San Francisco's main campus triggered widespread fear of an active shooter, with students locking themselves in buildings while university officials waited nearly an hour to issue any communication. The first official Dons Alert went out at approximately 7:50 PM PST stating only that there was no active shooter on campus. The student was arrested and was not armed.

Alerts
2
Response
50 min
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of San Francisco
Private R2 · CA
~10,000 studentsDons Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

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
Verified verbatimSFist quoting USF's first official message151 chars
Dons Alert: There is no active shooter on campus and our community is not in danger. Public Safety is responding to a disturbance. Updates will follow.
First half of message verbatim per SFist; remainder reconstructed from Examiner reporting
Issued at approximately 7:50 PM PST, nearly an hour after students first began locking themselves in buildings around 7 PM
The message does not explain what was actually happening — a single screaming student attempting to enter a locked building
UPDATESMS
Approximate reconstruction153 chars
Dons Alert: SFPD has detained one individual. There is no weapon and no threat to campus. Normal operations continue. Counseling resources are available.

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

Reconstructed from local reporting that SFPD detained one student who was not armed
Students complained that the university's communications failed to acknowledge the fear and trauma students experienced
Counseling and Psychological Services subsequently extended hours in response to student requests
Context

Background

Around 7 PM PST on Sunday, November 24, 2019, students at the University of San Francisco's Hilltop campus began posting videos of a male student screaming in a quad and trying to gain access to a locked building near Gillson Hall. The student had also reportedly made threats on social media. As panic spread on Twitter and group chats, students barricaded themselves inside buildings believing an active shooter was on campus. The San Francisco Police Department arrived and detained the student without incident; he was not armed. USF did not issue its first official Dons Alert until approximately 7:50 PM — a delay of roughly 50 minutes during which rumor outpaced official information. The university's terse message saying only there was 'no active shooter' drew sharp criticism from students who felt the school had failed to acknowledge what they had just experienced.
Analysis

Key Findings

The roughly 50-minute gap between students first reporting the disturbance and USF's first Dons Alert allowed Twitter rumors to dominate the information environment
The first official message stated what was NOT happening (no active shooter) without explaining what WAS happening, leaving students confused
The incident demonstrates how a single mentally distressed individual screaming and trying doors can replicate the information signature of an active shooter
Outcome
One student arrested. No weapon was recovered. The university faced significant student criticism for the slow pace of its emergency communication.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Threats By Unhinged-Sounding Student Freak Out USF Campus, Student Arrested (SFist)
    sfist.com
  2. News
    USF spooked by reports of shooting threat (SF Examiner)
    sfexaminer.com
  3. Official
    Emergency Notification System Procedures and Protocols (myUSF)
    myusf.usfca.edu
Tags
threat-of-violencemental-healthsocial-media-rumorcaliforniasan-franciscoalert-delayunfoundedprivate-universityUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion