University of Dallas Receives Threat Hoax During First Week of School

Authorities determined the emails were not credible, but the incident highlighted the university's security response capabilities.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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On the second day of the Spring 2026 semester, the University of Dallas received an alert about threats made via email against the school and several other universities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. While the threats were ultimately determined to be a hoax, the incident prompted an increased police presence on campus and coordination between university and local law enforcement.

Why it matters

Threat hoaxes can cause significant disruption and fear on college campuses, even when they are not credible. This incident demonstrates how universities and local authorities work together to respond to such situations and ensure the safety of the campus community.

The details

The University of Dallas received an email threat that did not mention any specific plans for violence, unlike a bomb threat received by nearby Dallas Baptist University that same day. The University of Dallas Police Department immediately contacted the Irving Police Department, which provided additional officers on campus. Authorities determined the emails were part of a broader hoax targeting multiple Texas universities with similar generic threat messages.

  • On January 22, 2026, the University of Dallas received the threat email on the second day of the Spring 2026 semester.
  • On the same day, several other universities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Dallas Baptist University, received similar threat emails.

The players

Russell Greene

Chief of the University of Dallas Police Department.

University of Dallas

A private Catholic university located in Irving, Texas.

Irving Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that provided additional officers to the University of Dallas campus in response to the threat.

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What they’re saying

“UD 'received emails to random staff threatening violence on our campus.'”

— Russell Greene, Chief of the University of Dallas Police Department (thecorchronicle.com)

“The intelligence units of the FBI, Dallas Police Department and the Irving Police Department quickly determined the emails were a hoax. The FBI assigned an agent to investigate and as far as we know they are still investigating.”

— Russell Greene, Chief of the University of Dallas Police Department (thecorchronicle.com)

What’s next

The FBI is continuing its investigation into the source of the threat emails sent to the University of Dallas and other Texas universities.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of university police departments and local law enforcement working together to respond quickly and effectively to potential threats, even when they ultimately prove to be hoaxes, in order to maintain campus safety and security.