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UMass Lowell shooting alert: Police say false alert sent, no active shooter
UMass Lowell issued and retracted an active shooter alert after a hoax call; heavy police response found no threat, and campus activities soon resumed.
The University of Massachusetts in Lowell joined the list of universities to have received a hoax phone call about a potential active shooter. On Wednesday afternoon, the university sent out an alert about a possible gunman on campus, but later retracted the alert, confirming there were no active shooter.
The Lowell Police Department responded to the incident at the UMass Lowell campus, and a large police response was on. UMass Lowell said in the alert that a gunman with a long rifle was spotted near the university's Riverside Suites hostel. They searched the campus for the possible shooter, and the campus was briefly placed on lockdown.
Once the search was complete, and no shooter was found, normal activities resumed on the campus. Lowell PD confirmed the same in a statement.
The statement read: "On September 3, 2025, just before 2:30 PM, the Lowell Police Department received a report of an individual possibly armed with a firearm. Patrol officers immediately responded and began to search the area."
"The Lowell Police Department is aware of the video circulating on social media and obtained the video upon arrival to the scene," the statement added. "At no time was this an active shooter situation, and there is no evidence of shots fired."
The Massachusetts State Police Air Wing, Police K9s, Massachusetts State Police Troopers, the NEMLEC Swat Team, UMass Lowell Police, LNHP Law Enforcement Rangers, the FBI, and ATF, responded to the incident, the statement said.
Also read: ‘My son is…: UMass Lowell parent’s scared reaction to active shooter alert; lockdown issued
Suspect Described As Asian Male
In the alert sent out to the UMass Lowell students earlier on Wednesday, the person of interest in the case was described as a 5-foot-4 Asian male. He was believed to be wearing a white sweatshirt and black shorts
"I'm actively monitoring the alert of a potentially armed individual near UMass Lowell’s South Campus and in touch with local officials," Massachusetts congresswoman Lori Trahan said on X. "If you are in Lowell, please follow directions from Lowell Police Department (Official) and UMass Lowell."
