Police issue all clear after UMass Boston reports ‘public safety threat’

Police gave the University of Massachusetts Boston an all-clear after the school announced a “public safety threat” Thursday afternoon.

The university announced an on-campus threat around 3:40 p.m. It announced at 5:11 p.m. that police said there was no ongoing threat to the community.

UMB Emergency Alert: Police have reported the incident on campus all clear. There is no ongoing threat to the community.

— UMass Boston (@UMassBoston) September 11, 2025

The threat was in or near the Residence Hall East Building, the school said in a post on X.

There have been “no confirmation of shots fired and no confirmation of any individuals with firearms on campus,” according to Boston police.

The university uploaded several posts on X warning students to avoid Residence Hall East Building and alerting students there is a “police incident” near Campus Center. All classes and activities for the evening were canceled, the school said.

Boston police responded to 240 Morrissey Blvd. at 3:43 p.m. to the report of shots fired in the area, a spokesperson said.

Multiple units of Boston EMS were staging related to the “potential incident,” Boston EMS wrote on X Thursday afternoon.  

Students and staff received a text around 4 p.m. reading: “Students in the dorms stay in your rooms, do not answer the doors for anyone unless it is the police,” Boston 25 News reported.  

The university canceled classes and activities for the rest of the evening, according to a post on X.

Boston police advised pedestrians and vehicles to avoid the area until further notice due to an active scene.

Video from WCVB showed people running and walking in large groups out of campus buildings, along with a large police presence.