(NewsNation) — The Springfield, Ohio, community is on edge Friday morning after a bomb threat was called into city hall and two elementary schools Thursday.
Additional schools in the city were closed Friday due to “information received from the Springfield Police Division,” according to the Springfield City School District.
Students from Perrin Woods and Snowhill elementary schools were evacuated Friday morning. Roosevelt Middle School closed before opening for the day.
On Thursday, students were evacuated from Fulton Elementary School in Springfield. The district said the evacuation was caused by “information received from the State Fire Marshal.”
Springfield police don’t have any suspects in connection to Thursday’s bomb threat but are working with the FBI to track down where the threatening messages came from. The threat sent schools, city hall and other city services on lockdown.
The city has been dragged into the spotlight this week over unsubstantiated claims that Haitian migrants are eating pets and local animals like ducks — claims the city’s mayor and police have confirmed not to be true.
Some residents have also pushed back on those claims but have admitted their city is at a breaking point due to the influx of migrants.
Springfield in spotlight amid migrant claims
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue told the Washington Post the bomb threat used hateful language toward immigrants, specifically Haitians.
Rue said the rumors being spread about migrants eating pets are taking resources away from the real problem, which is the strain the city feels from trying to accommodate thousands of new migrants.
The mayor told NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo that the influx of migrants coming into the city is beyond their control, but they are trying and need help to sustain the influx.
“It did happen to us with the federal policy. Under the current federal policy, they are here legally. They are here and there is nothing that is taking them out right away,” Rue said. “As a community, we are trying to embrace them and embrace the situation we are in and get our arms around it.”
The mayor says there’s a big need for translation services.
Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine doubled down on the need for federal assistance, saying he is saddened and condemns anyone creating fear and terror through false threats. It’s a sentiment echoed by the White House.
Unsubstantiated claims about migrants used as political leverage
Still, the memes online have exploded, and even the Republican Party of Arizona has leaned into the false claims with billboards saying, “Eat less kittens, vote Republican.”
Rumors have spread after police bodycam video began circulating online showing police arresting a woman accused of killing and eating someone’s cat.
However, local news stations report the woman in the video was not a migrant and was born in Ohio. Plus, the incident happened about two hours away from Springfield.
NewsNation affiliate WDTN contributed to this report.