Copyright newsweek
An emergency alert was issued for University of Virginia (UVA) in Charlottesville on Monday afternoon warning of an “active attacker with a gun.” Within 30 minutes of the first alert, UVA said on its website that no assailant had been found. The alert posted on X said the armed person is near the Shannon Library and warned anyone in the area to run, hide or fight. The college said on X that academic buildings had gone into “access control only.” Newsweek has reached out to UVA via email Monday for more information. Why It Matters The alert highlighted the persistent threat of campus gun violence and prompted a swift safety response in Charlottesville, drawing national attention to ongoing concerns about security measures at U.S. institutions of higher education. This is a breaking news article from Newsweek. What To Know The UVA Department of Safety and Security issued an emergency alert about 3:05 p.m. Monday warning of an “active attacker with a gun” near Shannon Library, at 160 McCormick Road. According to university police, the alert involved an armed person on or near campus grounds as of Monday afternoon. UVA officials deployed the emergency “RUN, HIDE, FIGHT” protocol. The school advised all campus occupants to avoid the area, seek safe shelter and lock doors where possible. Academic buildings were restricted to “access control only“—meaning no one could enter without authorized credentials, according to CBS 19 News. What People Are Saying UVA Department of Safety and Security, in its Official Social Media Statement: “ Police are currently at Shannon Library continuing to investigating. At this time there is no evidence of an Attacker.” What Happens Next Authorities continue probing the report at UVA’s Shannon Library. The university will maintain lockdown and increased police presence until officials confirm the issue is resolved. Additional details will be provided by UVA’s Department of Safety and Security via social media. Update 11/3/25, 3:45 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with more information.
