Two elementary schools were evacuated, and a middle school was closed on Friday in Springfield, Ohio, following a new email threat, according to local officials.
Students from the elementary schools were released to their parents, but it remains unclear if the same individual was responsible for a similar threat made the previous day, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue told ABC News.
On Thursday, bomb threats were emailed to several agencies and media outlets across the city. Explosive-detecting K-9 units were deployed to inspect multiple locations listed in the threats, including two elementary schools, City Hall, and driver’s license bureaus, according to Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott. County court facilities were also cleared as a precaution.
The FBI is working alongside local authorities to identify the source of these threats, Elliott said.
Mayor Rue acknowledged the growing fear in the community and expressed frustration over the situation. “This is a very concerning time for our citizens. People are tired of the negative and false narratives being spread about our community. We need help, not hate,” he said.
Rue suggested the threats were tied to baseless online rumors claiming Haitian migrants in Springfield were abducting and eating pets. These rumors, which gained traction on social media, were amplified by right-wing figures, including former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance.
During a presidential debate on Tuesday, Trump falsely claimed, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
A spokesperson for the city of Springfield said that claims of immigrant-related pet harm are false, emphasizing that there have been “no credible reports or specific instances of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals in the immigrant community.”
The spokesperson also clarified, “There have been no verified cases of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or littering in front of residents’ homes. Furthermore, no reports have been made regarding members of the immigrant community intentionally disrupting traffic.”
Mayor Rob Rue reassured residents, stating, “Your pets are safe in Springfield.”
Springfield estimates that 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants currently reside in the county, drawn by affordable living and job opportunities. However, this population growth has strained local resources like housing, healthcare, and schools. City officials confirmed that the migrants are in the country legally, with many holding Temporary Protected Status.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance denounced the “baseless and inflammatory” claims targeting Haitian migrants, warning that such rumors “not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also contribute to the dangerous stigmatization of immigrant communities, particularly Black immigrants from the Republic of Haiti.”
