Penn State mourns tragedy at UVA, shares resources with community

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State joins with the rest of the nation in mourning the tragic shooting deaths of three University of Virginia students, and the wounding of two other individuals, at the UVA campus in Charlottesville, Virginia, late Sunday.

As we grieve for the victims of the latest act of gun violence to impact schools and universities in the U.S., the University is reminding all Penn Staters to take the time seek out help if you or others are in need.

“On behalf of the entire Penn State community, I wish to share my deepest condolences with the victims and families impacted by Sunday’s horrific violence, and with the students, employees, families and community of the University of Virginia,” said Charlie Noffsinger, associate vice president for Penn State University Police and Public Safety. “The tragedy unfolding there is heartbreaking, and is an example of something nobody should have to endure. Across the country, our schools and universities should be places where our youth can learn and grow, free from the threat of violence. As we express our heartfelt support for the entire UVA community, so too should we remember to lean on one another here at Penn State.”

Penn State’s Active Attacker Response Program

While Penn State police officers train regularly for potential active shooter scenarios, it is imperative all Penn Staters familiarize themselves with the University’s Active Attacker Response Program, which follows the Run, Hide, Fight model, as it provides options that can help to save lives in the first crucial moments of an attack.

Run, Hide, Fight is based on three action steps that are designed to be easy to remember and act upon in an emergency: run if you can, hide if you can’t, and fight as a last resort.

In the event of an active shooter or attacker, a rapid response by law enforcement to the scene and communication to the community by email, text, telephone and social media using Penn State’s PSUAlert system would occur. Initial alert messages would be followed by critical information and regular updates for the community.

All students and employees with a Penn State email address automatically receive PSUAlert emergency notifications by email. Students and employees are encouraged to visit psualert.psu.edu to sign up to receive PSUAlerts by text message and/or phone call as well. Users also can choose to receive alerts for multiple Penn State campuses.

University Police and Public Safety offers in-person Active Attacker Response Program training to campus groups. Training sessions can be requested on the University Police and Public Safety website.

In the event of an emergency, community members should reach out to police immediately if there is an emergency, by dialing 911. University Police and Public Safety at the University Park campus can be reached for non-emergencies at 814-863-1111. Contact information for University Police at each Commonwealth Campus is available here.

Counseling support

The following resources are available to Penn State community members in need of counseling and mental health support:

For students                                                         

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for students at the University Park campus can be reached at 814-863-0395. Contact information for counseling services at each Commonwealth Campus is available here.   

For employees 

• Penn State’s Employee Assistance Program offers free, confidential mental health and counseling resources for employees and eligible family members.

In addition, the Penn State Crisis Line (877-229-6400) and the Crisis Text Line (text “LIONS” to 741741), are open 24/7 to Penn Staters dealing with both crisis and noncrisis situations — including faculty, staff and students at all campuses who have a question about someone else. The licensed professionals with the Penn State Crisis Line can help evaluate each individual situation, offer guidance and help connect callers with further resources if appropriate.