On the evening of 17 February 2026, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach campus was placed on a temporary lockdown following a threatening call authorities received regarding a possible active shooter in the area.

Daytona Beach News Journalreports that the threat was reported at the Mori Hosseini Student Union around 20:40, alerting them that a person would arrive on campus in five minutes with the intent to 'shoot it up.'

The said threat prompted campus officials to activate emergency protocols, sendingshelter-in-place alertsto students, faculty, and staff.

The alerts provided instructions to the campus community, saying, 'No matter where you are on campus, you shelter in place,' until further notice, as authorities – such as the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD), Volusia County Sheriff's Office, and FBI teams – arrived on the scene.

Officers quickly evacuated the vicinity of the Mori Hosseini Student Union, which was the area referenced in the call. The police began sweeping the campus to confirm there were no hostile individuals present.

The Daytona Beach PD officers remained on scene, guiding students safely to their dorms, as well as warning the general public to avoid the area while the investigation was ongoing. No active threat, firearm, or shooter was discovered during the search.

According toNews 6, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood stressed that the situation was treated as a threat, but not an ongoing active shooter incident. He also emphasised that such reports trigger automatic lockdowns in accordance with existing safety protocols.

Meanwhile, the FBI is also assisting local officials in determining the origin and veracity of the call as part of the ongoing investigation.

Embry-Riddle's Campus Safety team coordinated closely with responding officers to implement emergency protocols, including sheltering and conducting area security checks, in line with existing campus safety guidelines.

University officials later confirmed that following an extensive search of the campus,no legitimate threat was found, and regular campus operations resumed once students and staff were confirmed safe.

Source: International Business Times UK