Police Find No Evidence of Reported Gunshots
Bethlehem Police found no evidence supporting an alert about alleged gunfire near Lehigh University's campus.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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Lehigh University Police issued a Hawkwatch Alert at 2:49 p.m. about alleged gunshots fired near 8th and Atlantic Street around 2:39 p.m. A follow-up alert at 3:05 p.m. reported that the Bethlehem Police Department investigated and found no evidence substantiating the gunshot report.
Why it matters
The alerts put the Lehigh community on notice while police investigated a report of gunfire roughly five blocks from campus. The follow-up confirms that the initial reported threat was not substantiated.
Bethlehem Police Department investigated the report and found no evidence substantiating the gunshot claim, and there is no evidence of a crime or ongoing threat. Whether the two alleged males ever entered a house between 6th and Atlantic Street remains unconfirmed.
The players
Bethlehem Police Department
The municipal police agency serving Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which investigated the report and found no evidence substantiating it.
Lehigh University Police Department
The campus police agency of Lehigh University that issued the Hawkwatch Alerts and is continuing to monitor the area.
The details
A Hawkwatch Alert reported that two males allegedly fired a gun near 8th and Atlantic Street, and that the suspects possibly ran into a house between 6th and Atlantic Street. Bethlehem Police and Lehigh University Police are monitoring the area to keep the suspects from entering campus, and LUPD has not yet commented to The Brown and White.
Timeline
2:39 p.m.: Alleged gunshots fired near 8th and Atlantic Street.
2:49 p.m.: Initial Hawkwatch Alert sent to the Lehigh community.
3:05 p.m.: Follow-up Hawkwatch Alert reports no evidence of gunshots.
Legal Context
Campus emergency alerts issued through Lehigh's Hawkwatch system are designed to warn the community quickly, even before police verify a report. This alert and its follow-up show the standard sequence of an initial warning followed by a no-evidence finding.
Members of the Lehigh community and nearby residents may see continued police presence around 8th and Atlantic Street while the area is monitored. The follow-up alert means no shelter-in-place or avoidance measures are indicated by the source.
The takeaway
Campus safety alerts can be issued before a report is verified, so checking for a follow-up update before drawing conclusions helps readers stay accurately informed. In this case, the follow-up found no evidence of gunfire.
Further reading
Explore more Law Enforcement coverage for context on how local police respond to reported threats in Bethlehem.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Brown and White.
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