Springfield hospitals among growing recipients of threats

Springfield has endured a host of threats in recent days, and two of the community’s hospitals have been among the recipients.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said there have been more than 30 bomb threats reported in Springfield, Ohio, and they all turned out to be hoaxes. He said Monday he's sending more state police to Springfield.

Over the weekend, Mercy Health’s Springfield Regional Medical Center and Kettering Health Springfield were both temporarily on lockdown following bomb threats. Officials said both facilities received threats Saturday and the facilities were searched, but no dangerous materials were found.

A spokesperson from Mercy Health Springfield said the threat at their facility was not found to be credible. The hospital was alerted by city officials early Saturday morning.

“Mercy Health immediately put the hospital on lockdown while local authorities conducted a thorough search of the facility, in conjunction with our onsite security team,” a Mercy spokesman said via email. “Nothing was found within or outside the hospital and the threat was determined to be not credible. The hospital continued to operate during this time.”

The hospital thanked the police for their assistance and praised staff for the way they handled the situation.

Kettering Health said it worked with local law enforcement Saturday to investigate the threat and ensure the safety of patients and staff, WHIO-TV reports.

Springfield has been the recipient of more than 30 threats in recent days, largely stemming from baseless rumors about Haitian immigrants in the Ohio community. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, have repeated unsubstantiated claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield eating neighbors’ pets, even as local and state officials say those statements are unfounded.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, visited Springfield Monday and said the community has received at least 33 bomb threats, all of which were found to be a hoax, WBNS-TV reported. He also said he’s sending more than 30 Ohio state troopers to Springfield.

Six city schools have received threats in recent days, including two schools that were evacuated Monday due to threats, WDTN-TV reports.

DeWine said troopers would be available to respond to bomb threats at schools and “any other place that might be vulnerable.”

Wittenberg University closed its campus Monday and said it received two threats over the weekend, including a bomb threat and a threat of a campus shooting. The university said both threats “were targeted toward members of the Haitian community.”

Clark State College in Springfield said all classes will be held virtually this week “due to recent events in Springfield.”

On Monday, city officials said on Facebook they have canceled this year’s CultureFest celebration, scheduled to take place Sept. 27-28, due to “recent threats and safety concerns." The city said municipal officials consulted state and local law enforcement and concluded that canceling the event is the most responsible course of action.

“We deeply regret having to cancel CultureFest, as we know it is a beloved event for our community,” Bryan Heck, Springfield’s city manager, said in a statement. “However, the safety of our residents and visitors must come first.”

Springfield has seen a rise in Haitian immigrants in the community, and local officials have stressed that they are in the area legally. Officials say they are in the federal immigration parole program and many have received Temporary Protected Status. Those with Temporary Protected Status are eligible for health services, as well as housing, education and employment services.

Officials estimate 12,000 to 15,000 immigrants are in Clark County, Ohio, home to Springfield, saying many have come for jobs and to be with family and friends.

DeWine appeared on ABC’s This Week Sunday and said the rumors of Haitians abducting and eating pets are unfounded. He also defended the Haitian immigrants as hard-working members of the community. “What we know is that the Haitians who are in Springfield are legal. They came to Springfield to work,” DeWine said.

“These Haitians came in to work for these companies,” he said in the interview Sunday. “What the companies tell us is that they are very good workers. They’re very happy to have them there. And, frankly, that’s helped the economy.”

DeWine said he didn’t want to see hate groups coming into the Springfield area. Responding to questions by ABC’s Martha Raddatz, DeWine said Sunday that he hoped to see an end to the rumors. The Ohio governor also pointed to the need for more healthcare access in Springfield.

“I think these discussions about Haitians eating dogs and cats and other things needs to stop. We need to focus on what is important. What’s important is that we get primary care health to everyone in a very growing city, that we do other things in regard to housing,” DeWine said.

DeWine said last week he’s directing $2.5 million in state aid to expand access to primary care in Springfield.

On Monday, DeWine said that those who came from Haiti fled a country with little access to healthcare, and he added he’s visited Haiti more than two dozen times. He also pointed to the need for more translators.

“When people come from a country like that who have not had healthcare, obviously we have some catching up to do,” DeWine said.

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