Springfield, Ohio, City Hall Evacuated, Residents Told to Avoid Area

Springfield, Ohio’s City Hall was shut down on Thursday morning following a bomb threat.

According to WHIO, a city spokesperson reported that the threat came in the form of an email received around 8:24 a.m., which led to an immediate evacuation of the building.

“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 city noted in a statement, as reported by ABC.

The city also urged the public to avoid the City Hall area during the ongoing investigation, and to report any unusual activity to the Springfield Police Division.

A significant police presence, including officers from other nearby areas like Dayton, was seen at the scene, WHIO confirmed. City Hall will remain closed for the day.

In addition, Cleveland.com reported that Fulton Elementary School in Springfield was also shut down due to a similar threat.

Springfield has recently been part of a national conversation regarding immigration, following allegations that some Haitian immigrants in the area were eating local pets. City officials have refuted the claim, though a police report has been filed involving an incident between Haitians and geese.

The city has a Haitian population estimated between 15,000 and 20,000, many of whom arrived through the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, which has been extended under President Joe Biden’s administration.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has addressed the situation, stating his office is seeking ways to empower communities to handle the influx of migrants. His news release stated that cities like Springfield "have been inundated and overwhelmed by surging migrant populations. The sudden and extreme population growth has strained the city’s economic, medical, and educational systems."

“This is absurd — Springfield has swollen by more than a third due to migrants,” Yost said.

The Federalist reported complaints from Springfield residents about the behavior of the Haitian newcomers.

“These Haitians are running into trash cans. They’re running into buildings. They’re flipping cars in the middle of the street, and I don’t know how, like, y’all can be comfortable with this,” said Springfield resident Anthony Harris during a city meeting. “They’re in the park, grabbing up ducks by the neck and cutting their heads off and eating them.”

Another resident, identified as Noel, expressed her concerns at a public hearing in August, claiming that Springfield has become “so unsafe” since the influx of Haitians that she is considering leaving the town.

“I have men that cannot speak English in my front yard screaming at me, throwing mattresses in my front yard, throwing trash in my front yard. Look at me, I weigh 95 pounds. I couldn’t defend myself if I had to,” she said, before asking, “Who’s protecting me?”