Troopers to Patrol Schools After Series of Bomb Threats in Springfield

Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine holds a news conference Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, at city hall in Springfield, Ohio, Patrick Aftoora Orsagos/AP Photo

Ohio state police will patrol schools in the city of Springfield after a series of bomb threats, the governor announced Monday, while local officials announced the annual Downtown CultureFest was canceled as a safety precaution.

Last week, several schools and buildings received bomb threats, resulting in evacuations and closures.

“In light of recent threats and safety concerns, the City of Springfield has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s CultureFest celebration,” officials said in a Sept. 16 announcement.

Meanwhile, the two-day festival was scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 27 and 28, featuring live dance and music performances, food, and shopping, according to the city.

“We deeply regret having to cancel CultureFest, as we know it is a beloved event for our community,” City Manager Bryan Heck said in the recent announcement. “However, the safety of our residents and visitors must come first.”

There is no publicly known motive behind the bomb threats, which come as the Ohio city has been in the national spotlight amid allegations that immigrants from Haiti have been capturing and eating residents’ pets and wild geese.

In a Sept. 14 statement sent to NTD News, the city’s strategic engagement manager Karen Graves said the bomb threats “have not been substantiated” and were likely made up to invoke a police response.

She said the city is working with the state’s Department of Public Safety and the Dayton office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to determine the origin of the threats.

During a press conference on Sept. 16, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said as a precaution, 36 Ohio State Highway Patrol Officers for the “foreseeable future” will conduct daily morning sweeps of Springfield City School District facilities.

He said many of the threats made were unfounded and were meant to fuel tension in the city.

“We cannot let the bad guys win. ... We must take every threat seriously, but children deserve to be in school, and parents deserve to know that their kids are safe,” the governor said in a statement. “The added security will help ease some of the fears caused by these hoaxes.”

Bomb detection dogs and security cameras have been stationed throughout the city, according to DeWine. He said at least 33 bomb threats were made with many of them from overseas, but didn’t name any countries.

On Friday, students at two elementary schools were evacuated and one middle school closed after the school district was emailed threats, according to a statement from the district. The day prior, a similar incident occurred at the city hall and Fulton Elementary School after receiving threats.

“All threats to the Springfield City School District are taken seriously and will be prosecuted at the highest levels,” Superintendent Robert Hill wrote in a Sept. 12 statement.

College classes at Wittenberg University and Clark State College will be held virtually for the remainder of the week, according to Monday school alerts.

“After receiving new threats on Monday, Sept. 16, and in the context of ongoing threats of violence on our campus and in the Springfield community, Wittenberg will go fully remote for the rest of the week,” a statement on the school’s website reads.

Clark State College said they will hold classes virtually until Friday “due to recent events in Springfield.”

Former President Donald Trump commented on the claims about immigrants during his second presidential debate last week, while vice presidential candidate JD Vance spoke about them on X the day before.

Other claims have alleged that immigrants were squatting on private property and crashing vehicles, according to people who spoke at recent town hall events.

Meanwhile, the state’s attorney general Dave Yost, said in a Sept. post on X there were credible claims of immigrants capturing geese for food.

“There’s a recorded police call from a witness who saw immigrants capturing geese for food in Springfield. Citizens testified to City Council,” Yost wrote.

He alleged some media outlets have followed the words of the city and ignored such claims, yet the callers would be “competent witnesses” in court.

“Why does the media find a carefully worded City Hall press release better evidence?” Yost wrote.

Responding to the allegations, Graves said in a Sept. 10 statement sent to The Epoch Times there have been “no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused,” by any of the city’s Haitian immigrants. A Springfield police spokesperson made a similar statement.

In a recent Facebook announcement, Heck confirmed the city is facing some challenges related to the influx of immigrants, as the population growth has strained city resources, and said the area has also benefited from new residents who contribute to the workforce, including local businesses.

“These rumors will not distract us from addressing the real strain on our resources, including the impact to our schools, healthcare systems, and first responders,” Heck said.

Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security announced that the temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants has been extended until Feb. 3, 2026, including those who have entered illegally, which protects them from being deported to their home country.

Some 15,000 Haitians have arrived in the city of about 59,000 people since 2020.

Haiti is currently listed as “Level 4–Do Not Travel” due to kidnappings, crime, and a poor health care infrastructure, amid other concerns, according to the U.S. State Department.

From NTD News