Bomb threats in Springfield, Ohio forced the evacuation and closure of public schools and municipal buildings for the second consecutive day. Students at Perrin Woods and Snowhill Elementary Schools were relocated to an alternate district location, while Roosevelt Middle School was closed prior to the start of the school day due to information received from the Springfield Police Department. Additionally, several city commissioners and a municipal employee were targeted with an emailed bomb threat.
The threats also included multiple locations such as Springfield City Hall, Cliff Park High School, and various other buildings. Authorities conducted thorough inspections using explosive detection canines and cleared all facilities listed in the threats. The city has been under national scrutiny due to false claims regarding its Haitian population, including rumors of immigrants stealing and eating household pets.
Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have propagated these false claims as part of a larger effort to showcase Springfield as an example of detrimental consequences of immigration. City officials and police have stated that there is no credible information to support these outlandish allegations. The situation is still developing, and updates will be provided as new information becomes available. Alicia Victoria Lozano, a California-based reporter for NBC News covering climate change, wildfires, and drug policy politics, is following this story, with contributions from Senior Breaking News Reporter, David K. Li, and others.
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