Thu, August 21st 2025 at 6:09 PM
Photo from video shared by viewer Chloe Cawthon.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn — Thousands of students at UTC got the same text alert to shelter in place Thursday afternoon.
But after the dust cleared and the ‘active shooter’ alert turned out to not be real, we heard from many students who didn’t get that text — and realized they need to fix that.
Those students told us they were scared, confused, and had no idea what to do.
Video from the scene shows police evacuating UTC students by the dozens after an alert had gone out to almost every student, warning them of a possible shooter and that not only was the campus on lockdown, but it needed to be avoided at all costs.
However several students we spoke with told us while the alert did go out to many, it didn’t get to everyone.
Some students’ parents also sign up for UTC’s text alerts, like Meena Seth.
She told us it was after the UTC alert that she immediately tried to contact her daughter, and while she was in limbo for 30 minutes as she was waiting for a response, she finally heard back.
I got a text from her saying, Mommy, I love you. And that was the end of it. And I was like, I just jumped into my car, and I was like, I’m on my way.
Seth says while this lockdown was traumatizing for her and her daughter shes just glad no one was hurt.
You can sign up for UTC’s text alerts here.
