On Sept. 30, students, faculty, and parents were notified by the Monmouth University Emergency Notification System of a shelter in place order for the dorm building Elmwood Hall due to a possible emergency situation in the building. The alert was proved to be a result of a false threat.
This email and call alert was sent out at 4:41 p.m. and read, “Due to an emergency situation at Elmwood Hall, all students please shelter in place at Elmwood Hall. Do not leave your rooms.” About 17 minutes later, another alert reported, “Due to possible incident at Monmouth University you are advised to shelter in place and await further instructions.”
At this time, students on the residential side of campus spotted multiple police cars in the area, as well as dozens of police officers on the scene. At 5:28 p.m., the campus was given the all-clear, stating, “The recent emergency situation at Monmouth University concerning the shelter in place is over. The campus is safe and secure. Thank you for your cooperation.”
An hour later, President Patrick Leahy, Ed.D., President of Monmouth University, sent out an email to the campus community, thanking them for their patience. He wrote, “Earlier this afternoon the Monmouth University Police Department (MUPD) was alerted to a reported threat in one of our residence halls. MUPD issued a shelter-in-place in order to investigate the report. Multiple agencies responded to campus to assist with the investigation and found the report to be unsubstantiated.”
He continued, “The shelter-in-place was lifted and MUPD issued an all-clear notification. I appreciate the efforts of our officers who work to ensure the safety of our campus community, and I am grateful for the ongoing support we receive from our neighboring municipal and county agencies.”
During the lockdown, students voiced their concerns and confusion on the popular campus app, YikYak. “If there is an emergency SO bad that you can’t leave your ROOMS at all, why isn’t the whole campus on lockdown???? Praying for you elm,” one student commented. Other students posted comments in the app showing confusion and worry about the situation. One student posted, “Is Elmwood ok?,” and another stated, “What’s going on?”
President Leahy said that he understands students’ concerns, but is also confident in the University’s safety policies. He said, “I understand and appreciate how scary and unsettling situations like this can be, even when proven to be unsubstantiated. Sadly, colleges and universities across the country have increasingly become targets for these types of false reports. However, whenever a threat is received by the University, we will act swiftly to keep the campus as safe as possible, consistent with the guidelines of the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT).”
“The perpetrator of the threat did not contact the University directly. MUPD issued a shelter-in-place in order to investigate the report,” Leahy continued, “Given that the reported threat was found to be unsubstantiated, there was no additional detail to report. The investigation into identifying the perpetrator is still active.”
Tanner Purdy, President of Monmouth’s Student Government Association (SGA), also commented on the event. He said, “We share your concern for the spread of misinformation and recognize that the lack of material facts available has caused some to continue to speculate about what occurred. After conferring with senior administration members, we were informed that this is still an active investigation by local/county authorities and as a result no further details can be shared. SGA has requested that the University share additional information when it is legally able to do so. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation and will determine what information can be shared and to this point has not allowed the University to release any additional information.”
The Outlook reached out to Milton Morris, Chief of the MUPD, for a comment, but as this is still an active investigation, there was little information he could share publicly. “Within minutes of the MUPD dispatcher receiving the call, Monmouth University Police Officers arrived on the scene, along with officers from neighboring agencies. While we are all relieved that the threat was a hoax, I am very proud of the rapid response of our officers and their threat assessment, enabling us to end the shelter-in-place order quickly,” Morris commented.
Following the 2023 campus lockdown which involved a false gun report that turned out to be a curling iron, the campus community was provided with a Zoom call with the president regarding any concerns or questions as well as a detailed email explaining the event. However, the same response was not provided for last week’s events. President Leahy explained, “Different situations call for different follow-ups. My email to the student community following the all-clear notification explained the details of this specific event, which—thankfully—was a false alarm. I also shared the same information with parents and families in a separate email.”
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, students were sent an email from the Division of Student Life, providing mental health resources. “We are aware that events such as the one that took place yesterday are unsettling. Please make sure to utilize our campus mental health resources,” wrote Shannon Killeen, Associate Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students.
SGA also filed an email to students last Tuesday. This email read, “On behalf of the SGA, we are very relieved that everyone is safe after yesterday’s shelter-in-place. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Monmouth University Police Department and surrounding jurisdictions for their swift and professional response to the situation. Their commitment to student safety was on full display reassuring us that the security of our community is in capable hands. Please join the SGA in taking a moment to thank the members of the MUPD as you see officers around campus in the coming days.”
The email continued, “Yesterday’s shelter-in-place serves as a stark and unfortunate reminder of the world in which we live. Throughout the shelter-in-place, we were disturbed to see rumors and misinformation spread on social media and online messaging platforms regarding the threat in Elmwood Hall. Many of these false assertions unnecessarily elevated the fear and stress students, staff, and faculty experienced. There is no place for rumors and misinformation at Monmouth. When emergencies strike it is up to us to stay calm, stay safe, and stay tuned for official updates from MUPD and University officials. Any other response may cause panic and lead to undue harm. At Monmouth, we will be defined by our ability to rally together and support one another, not by fear or panic.”
Also on Oct. 1, Chief Morris sent an email to the Monmouth community containing the 2024-2025 “Guide for a Safe Campus.” Morris wrote, “Each year Monmouth University publishes an annual security report which includes the previous three calendar years of crime and fire statistics on campus and outlines University policies, procedures, and programs concerning safety and security. I strongly urge all members of the campus community to familiarize themselves with the contents of this Guide.”
Morris continued, “This Guide contains valuable information, including but not limited to crime prevention strategies and procedures, emergency procedures (i.e., timely warning, missing persons, campus lockdown, bomb threat, emergency notifications, fire evacuations and active shooters), educational and awareness programs, important policies, and information and support services for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.”
Purdy additionally noted, “Monday’s shelter-in-place serves as a harsh reminder of the dynamic and unpredictable world that we all call home. As to the frequency of these events on our campus, we are unable to predict when they will strike. What we can say for sure is that when emergencies hit, it is up to our entire community to follow the updates shared by the University authorities. Recently, Chief Morris of MUPD distributed the Guide to a Safe Campus report which is available for all to view on the Monmouth University website and it can offer more information on the steps that are taken during emergencies. We will be working with MUPD to continue to educate our community on best practices in the event of emergencies. Most importantly, it is our hope that students will not allow the unknown to prevent them from enjoying their time at Monmouth.”
Leahy concluded, “I am grateful for our officers in the MUPD and surrounding agencies who work to keep our campus safe, and I appreciate the cooperation from our students and employees.”
