City receives threats after Trump debate mention

Two elementary schools in Springfield, Ohio, evacuated and one middle school was closed today after receiving threats. It is unclear if the latest incidents were connected to bomb threats that Springfield schools and offices received a day earlier. At a news conference Thursday, Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott said police and K-9 units had investigated and cleared city hall, two schools, several driver’s license bureaus, and the county court facilities.

Who made the threat? The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working with Springfield police to identify the culprit. Springfield Mayor Rob Rue told The Washington Post that the threats on Thursday used “hateful language” directed at immigrants in Springfield, which has seen an influx of about 10,000 Haitian migrants in recent years. During this week’s televised presidential debate, former President Donald Trump repeated accusations that migrants in Springfield were eating residents’ pets. On Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced he was sending additional funds and law enforcement to the city to help with increased healthcare and traffic management needs.

Dig deeper: Read Mary Jackson’s report in WORLD Magazine about the international peacekeeping force working to bring order to Haiti.