Aug. 21 (UPI) — Students at Villanova University near Philadelphia received an active shooter alert and were warned to stay in secure locations late Thursday afternoon, but it was a hoax.

University officials issued an active shooter alert to students and warned them to shelter in place at 4:30 p.m. EDT, after being alerted to an alleged shooter at the university’s law school.

Many police responded to the scene, but no injuries were reported before University President Peter Donohue announced it was a “cruel hoax” at about 6:15 p.m., WCAU reported.

“Panic and terror ensued as news of a possible shooter at the Law School,” Donohue said in a letter to students and family.

“Mercifully, no one was injured, and we now know that it was a cruel hoax,” Donohue continued. “There was no active shooter, no injuries and no evidence of firearms present on campus.”

Donohue said the hoax has “shaken our entire community” and thanked the Villanova Public Safety department, the Radnor Police and other local police departments for rapidly responding to the report of an active shooter.

The university lifted its shelter-in-place order after police reported the matter was a hoax.

Police had barricaded Scarpa Hall, which houses the university’s law school, after being notified of an active shooter situation.

The university was placed under lockdown as police investigated the matter, but no information has been provided regarding what triggered the active shooter alert.

The nearby Lower Merion School District moved all students and staff indoors after being notified of the active shooter situation.

Thursday was Villanova’s opening day for fall classes, and many students were undergoing orientation when the active shooter alert was issued.