<div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-0"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">A report of a gunman at Villanova University turned out to be a hoax on Thursday, officials said. But it set off widespread panic among students and families on the first day of orientation on the campus outside of Philadelphia.</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Students were told to barricade themselves in dorms and classrooms as armed police officers arrived on campus with their guns drawn after an anonymous report to the university of an “active shooter” at the law school. </p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Buildings were cleared by officers, and people were urged to remain in place until the police arrived to guide them to safety. No gunman or firearm was found on campus, however, school officials said, and there were no reported injuries. </p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="Dropzone-1"></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-1"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“I know today’s events have shaken our entire community,” Villanova’s president, Peter M. Donohue, said in a statement. He added that he was especially sorry about the impact on freshmen and their parents. “This is not the introduction to Villanova that I had hoped for you.”</p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div><div data-testid="ImageBlock-3"><div data-testid="imageblock-wrapper"><figure aria-label="media" class="img-sz-medium css-d754w4 e1g7ppur0" role="group"><div class="css-1xdhyk6 erfvjey0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-figure"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Image</span><div class="css-nwd8t8" data-testid="lazy-image"><div data-testid="lazyimage-container" style="height:257.77777777777777px"></div></div></div><figcaption class="css-gbc9ki ewdxa0s0" data-testid="photoviewer-children-caption"><span class="css-jevhma e13ogyst0">Students and parents fled on orientation event on a lawn at Villanova University after reports of a gunman on campus.</span><span class="css-14fe1uy e1z0qqy90"><span class="css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0">Credit...</span><span><span aria-hidden="false">Matt Slocum/Associated Press</span></span></span></figcaption></figure></div></div><div class="css-s99gbd StoryBodyCompanionColumn" data-testid="companionColumn-2"><div class="css-53u6y8"><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania condemned what he called a “cruel swatting incident” and directed the state police to “use every tool at our disposal” to find whoever had called in the threat. Swatting is a term for filing false reports that draw out the police, creating terror for the targets. </p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">“I know today was every parent’s nightmare, and every student’s biggest fear,” the governor said on social media. “I’m profoundly grateful no one was hurt, and thankful to all members of law enforcement who ran toward reports of danger.”</p><p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0"></p></div><aside aria-label="companion column" class="css-ew4tgv"></aside></div>