The University of New England’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences was placed under lockdown on Saturday evening, July 26, 2025, following reports of a potential threat in a nearby wooded area—initially rumored to involve an active shooter or a bomb threat. However, official sources have not confirmed any bomb threat specifically.

The University of New England’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences was placed under lockdown on Saturday evening, July 26, 2025, following reports of a potential threat in a nearby wooded area—initially rumored to involve an active shooter or a bomb threat. However, official sources have not confirmed any bomb threat specifically.

What Happened:

• 6:19 PM: UNE issued a shelter-in-place alert, stating there was an active emergency near the Portland campus.

• Portland Police, State Police, and a SWAT team responded to a report of gunfire near Bishop Street, adjacent to the campus.

• The lockdown lasted several hours while law enforcement conducted a sweep of the area using drones and over 20 police units.

• By around 10:00 PM, a suspect was taken into custody, and officials confirmed that there was no ongoing threat to the campus.

• The university later lifted the lockdown, and no injuries were reported.

Clarification:

There was no official confirmation of a bomb threat. The incident centered around a report of shots fired, which triggered the campus lockdown as a precautionary measure. Early confusion may have led to speculation about a bomb threat, but credible sources such as WMTW News 8 and statements from Portland police have only referenced a “shots fired” report and the arrest of one suspect.