Bomb threats reported at multiple buildings in Springfield, Ohio

(SPRINGFIELD, Ohio) — A bomb threat has prompted a major police response in Springfield, Ohio, on Thursday morning, according to the city commission office.

The threat was sent via email “to multiple agencies and media outlets,” the office said.

“Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our employees and residents. We are working to address this situation as swiftly as possible,” the office said. “We ask the community to avoid the area surrounding City Hall vicinity while the investigation is ongoing and to report any suspicious activity to the Springfield Police Division.”

Though it is not yet known if they are connected, the threat comes after baseless rumors spread online in the wake of viral social media posts claiming Haitian migrants were abducting people’s pets in Springfield order to eat them. The rumors were amplified by right-wing politicians, including former President Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance.

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs,” Trump said at Tuesday night’s presidential debate. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats, they’re eating, they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”

A spokesperson for the city of Springfield told ABC News these claims are false, and that there have been “no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals in the immigrant community.”

“Additionally, there have been no verified instances of immigrants engaging in illegal activities such as squatting or littering in front of residents’ homes,” the spokesperson said. “Furthermore, no reports have been made regarding members of the immigrant community deliberately disrupting traffic.”

Springfield estimates there are around 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants living in the county; migrants have been drawn to the region because of low cost of living and work opportunities, according to the city. The rapid rise in population has strained housing, health care and school resources, according to the city. But city officials also said the migrants are in the country legally and that many are recipients of Temporary Protected Status.

The Haitian Bridge Alliance condemned the “baseless and inflammatory” claims about Haitian migrants, arguing they “not only perpetuate harmful stereotypes but also contribute to the dangerous stigmatization of immigrant communities, particularly Black immigrants from the Republic of Haiti.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who dispelled the rumors this week, said the state would send more resources to Springfield.

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