COLUMBIA — As students hunkered down and police swarmed the University of South Carolina’s library after a report of an active shooter Aug. 24 , false information quickly spread online amongst panicked students, parents and social media users.

Law enforcement officials and students later recalled hearing rumors of multiple shooters and student fatalities. On social media, some users — including U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace — identified a student carrying an umbrella on campus as the alleged, but non-existent, shooter.

Ultimately, the biggest piece of misinformation was the initial report itself.

University officials said Aug. 25 they believe the two calls to USC police reporting an active shooter in the Thomas Cooper Library, which were backed with sounds mimicking gunshots, were part of a

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