Bomb threats shut down Springfield, Ohio after Trump's pet-eating migrants lie

Springfield, Ohio - The city of Springfield was rocked by multiple bomb threats on Thursday as the community continues to struggle with being thrust into the national spotlight by Donald Trump.

Bomb threats caused the city of Springfield, Ohio to shut down on Thursday after Donald Trump made the city the center of a national controversy.
Bomb threats caused the city of Springfield, Ohio to shut down on Thursday after Donald Trump made the city the center of a national controversy.  © Roberto SCHMIDT / AFP

The city issued a statement regarding an email containing the threats, which was sent out to "multiple agencies and media outlets" at 8:42 AM on Thursday morning, resulting in City Hall being evacuated and closed for the day.

"Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our employees and residents," the statement said. "We are working to address this situation as swiftly as possible.

"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."

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But City Hall wasn't the only building affected by the threats. According to WDTN, students and staff at Fulton Elementary School were evacuated and taken to Springfield High School.

Local DMV locations, The Springview Government Center, and multiple Clark County government offices, including two court buildings, were also shut down for the day.

Although there are no reports that they are connected, the threats come as Trump and other right-wing politicians have been aggressively pushing misinformation about Springfield's immigrant population.

Donald Trump thrusts Springfield into the spotlight

Donald Trump speaking during his recent presidential debate with Kamala Harris at The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 10, 2024.
Donald Trump speaking during his recent presidential debate with Kamala Harris at The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 10, 2024.  © WIN MCNAMEE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

In recent weeks, Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have repeatedly pushed stories that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are eating residents' pets.

Though the claims have been debunked by city officials and the city's mayor and were even denounced by the government of Haiti, the two have insisted on continuing to push them.

Vance recently admitted the stories may be untrue but urged his followers to "Keep the cat memes flowing" anyway.

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During Trump's recent debate against Kamala Harris, he randomly brought up the claim, stating, "In Springfield, they're eating the dogs... they're eating the pets of the people that live there."

When debate moderator David Muir attempted to fact-check Trump by informing him the city manager of Springfield said there were "no credible reports" to back his claim, Trump argued "maybe it was a good thing to say for a city manager," and insisted it was true because he saw it "on television."

Trump and Vance's insistence on continuing to push the stories has charged up their MAGA base, which has been aggressively trying to help them prove that the claims are true on social media.

Cover photo: Roberto SCHMIDT / AFP

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