Bomb Scare Closes Schools, Streets in Ohio

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday that bomb threats sent to Clark County offices included language demanding that Haitian immigrants leave Springfield, prompting a major law enforcement response and early school dismissals.

At a press conference, DeWine said the threats referenced pipe bombs and used rhetoric similar to recent threats reported in other states, though officials have not confirmed whether they originated from the same source.

Authorities discovered "suspicious packages" outside the Springfield Municipal Court and public safety building downtown, leading officers to secure the area.

DeWine said duffel bags were also located at two additional sites in the city.

The incident forced the closure of several downtown streets, including Fountain Avenue, Columbia Street, North Street, and Limestone Street.

Springfield City School District students were dismissed early as a precaution.

"This is a despicable act," DeWine said, according to the Springfield News-Sun. "It's caused kids to miss a whole day of school today for the city."

DeWine said the investigation is being handled by multiple agencies, including the FBI, the governor's public safety office, and the Dayton bomb squad.

The News-Sun reported that bomb squad personnel in protective gear were seen entering and exiting the public safety building, along with a robotic device equipped with X-ray technology.

DeWine said the Dayton Police Bomb Squad and a K-9 unit were also deployed.

The governor pointed to a wave of bomb threats that targeted Springfield government buildings, schools, businesses, and residences in late 2024 after the city became the focus of national attention stemming from claims that Haitian immigrants were eating pets.

DeWine said most of those earlier threats came from overseas, while Monday's incident appears to involve someone acting locally by placing duffel bags.

Springfield Fire Rescue Division Chief Jacob King later told the News-Sun that no threat was found downtown, and streets that were closed earlier in the day as a result of the threat would soon reopen after being shut down for several hours.

An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Haitians live in the Springfield area, many of whom hold Temporary Protected Status.

TPS had been set to expire after Feb. 3, but a judge paused the deadline while a legal challenge proceeds, delaying any change to the program for Haitians as the case moves through the courts.

The Trump administration filed an appeal in the case Friday.

A federal district judge has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to clarify whether it plans an Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Springfield or other areas if temporary protected status for Haitians is ultimately allowed to end.

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