Chattanooga, TN – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus was placed on lockdown Thursday afternoon, Aug. 21, 2025, after police received reports of a possible active shooter in the University Center or Library. The alerts, sent out by the university just after 1 p.m., urged students, staff, and visitors to run, hide, and fight if necessary while police searched campus facilities.
The Chattanooga Police Department worked alongside UTC Police to investigate the calls. Officers moved quickly across the campus, checking buildings and responding to reports of shots fired. During the lockdown, students and employees were directed to stay in place until given further instructions by law enforcement.
After an extensive search, police found no evidence of a threat. The Chattanooga Police Department confirmed that no victims were located and no shots were fired. Roughly an hour after the first alert, officials declared the campus all clear, and the lockdown was lifted.
In a statement, UTC announced that all classes and activities would be canceled for the remainder of the day, with normal operations resuming on Friday at 8 a.m. The university also instructed students and non-essential employees that they were free to leave campus once the lockdown ended.
The Chattanooga Police Department later held a live briefing to update the public on the situation, stressing that the response was out of an abundance of caution. Officers confirmed that the initial calls had indicated a serious threat, which required a full emergency response in line with standard active shooter protocols.
While the reports turned out to be unfounded, officials emphasized the importance of following safety alerts and lockdown procedures during such incidents. The situation caused significant disruption and concern among students and staff, many of whom sheltered in place for more than an hour before being released.
The incident highlighted the quick coordination between local police, campus officers, and city officials. Authorities said that while no threat was ultimately found, the response demonstrated the readiness of law enforcement to act swiftly in the event of a real emergency.
The Chattanooga Police Department thanked the UTC community for their cooperation during the lockdown and reiterated that safety remains the top priority. For now, investigators continue to review the initial reports to determine how the false alarm began.