Colleges and schools in Springfield, Ohio, close after receiving threats linked to false claims about Haitian immigrants

By Chelsea Bailey, CNN

(CNN) — Two colleges in Springfield, Ohio, have moved to virtual learning and two elementary schools were evacuated Monday after receiving separate threats.

The closures come amid ongoing fallout from baseless allegations former President Donald Trump made during the second presidential debate that Haitian immigrants in the city are stealing and eating local pets.

Students at Simon Kenton and Kenwood Elementary Schools were evacuated “to an alternate district location” Monday based on information district officials received from the city’s police, the Springfield City School District said in a statement.

“These are the fifth and sixth SCSD buildings to be targeted by recent threats within the last week,” the district noted in a statement.

Elsewhere in the city, classes at Wittenberg University were held remotely Monday while campus police and local law enforcement continued to assess emailed threats of a bombing and a campus shooting that targeted “members of the Haitian community,” the university said in a statement.

Nearby Clark State College also announced its campuses will be closed this week and classes will be held virtually after the school also received similar threats through email. Officials at both schools said they were taking the measures “out of an abundance of caution.”

“We understand the anxiety that such incidents can cause and we are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and care,” Clark State said in a statement. “We will always prioritize the safety and wellness of our students, employees and community. We appreciate your understanding during this challenging time.”

Springfield has faced a spike in threats in recent days as Republicans continue to advance the false claims about Haitian immigrants in the city. The city also announced Monday it will cancel is annual arts and cultural festival, scheduled to take place September 27 and 28, amid recent threats and safety concerns.

Rob Rue, the city’s mayor, told CNN’s Dana Bash that he and other officials have personally received threats, adding “it would be helpful” if politicians “understood the weight of their words and how they could harm a community like ours.”

Springfield police told CNN they received two 911 calls Saturday to report members of the Proud Boys – the paramilitary group that stormed the US Capitol on January 6 – marching through town.

“We had a couple calls of their presence in town, but when the officers went to the area, Lexington and South Burnett, they were no longer there,” Sgt. Geovanny Mercado told CNN.

Two area hospitals closed Thursday after receiving threats and the following day, two local elementary schools were evacuated “based on information received from the Springfield Police Division.”

In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine flatly denied the false rumors about the city’s Haitian immigrants and praised their positive influence on the community.

“Let me tell you what we do know, though. What we know is that the Haitians who are in Springfield are legal,” the governor said. “They came to Springfield to work.”

Approximately 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants live in Clark County, where Springfield is the county seat, the city notes on its website. It says Haitian immigrants are there legally as part of a parole program that allows citizens and lawful residents to apply to have their family members from Haiti come to the United States.

Officials with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office also debunked allegations that Haitians were stealing geese out of local parks last week, noting police have reviewed 11 months of 911 records and identified two instances of people reporting such incidents, but found no evidence to substantiate the claims.

Vice presidential candidate JD Vance was among the first to elevate the baseless rumors about Haitians. CNN’s Dana Bash asked the Ohio Republican to provide evidence supporting the allegations in an interview Sunday on “State of the Union,” and the senator cited multiple “firsthand” accounts he said he received from his constituents but provided no further evidence.

He also bristled at the idea that repeating the baseless claims has led to a spike in threats in the city. ”There is nothing that I have said that has led to threats against these hospitals. The violence is disgusting, and we condemn it,” Vance said.

“All that I’ve done is surface the complaints of my constituents, people who are suffering because of Kamala Harris’ policies. Are we not allowed to talk about these problems because some psychopaths are threatening violence?” he added.

Vance later said, “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do.”

When Bash pressed him to clarify whether he was admitting the story was fabricated, Vance reiterated the claims came from his constituents.

“I didn’t create 20,000 illegal migrants coming into Springfield thanks to Kamala Harris’ policies. Her policies did that,” he said. “But yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by Kamala Harris’ policies.”

Rue, the mayor, told CNN’s Erin Burnett on Thursday that his city has experienced a 25% growth in population in the past three years, in part because of the influx of Haitian immigrants.

Rue said he’s working with local law enforcement to address an increase in reckless driving and asked the governor for additional funding over the next two years to improve the language services in the local health care system, but he denounced claims that immigrants were harming local pets and animals.

“I just want to clearly say, as a pet lover, your pets are safe in Springfield, Ohio, and it’s odd that I even have to tell the national media, yes, it is, if that’s a fact, but it is a fact,” Rue said.

CNN’s Paradise Afshar, Chris Boyette and Kit Maher contributed to this report.

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