College in Ohio shuts down campus after receiving new bomb threat
Date
9/17/2024 7:38:27 AM
(MENAFN) On Sunday, Clark State College in Springfield, Ohio, received a new bomb threat via email, leading the institution to shut down its campus for the week of September 16-20 and transition to virtual classes. This threat followed another email received the previous day, which had warned of a potential shooting. The college promptly involved the Springfield Police Department, which conducted a security sweep and confirmed that the campus was secure. Despite this assurance, Clark State College decided to err on the side of caution, closing all campuses and holding classes remotely for the week.
The college's decision reflects its commitment to prioritizing the safety of students, employees, and the broader community. Officials from Clark State acknowledged the distress these threats have caused and emphasized their proactive response, including increased police presence and additional counseling services to support those affected. The threats have heightened anxiety among the campus community, prompting the college to take all necessary precautions to ensure everyone’s safety.
In addition to the threat against Clark State College, several other locations in Springfield were targeted over the weekend. On Saturday, bomb threats were directed at three medical facilities—Springfield Regional Medical Center, Ohio Valley Surgical Hospital, and Kettering Health Springfield—as well as an unspecified fourth facility and Wittenberg University. Wittenberg University, a private liberal arts college in Springfield, canceled all scheduled activities for Sunday in response to a threat specifically targeting members of the Haitian community. The university also implemented heightened security measures in light of the threat of a potential shooting.
The FBI is working in conjunction with the Springfield Police Department and Wittenberg University to assess the credibility of these threats, share information, and conduct thorough investigations. Local police have conducted sweeps of the affected facilities and cleared them of any immediate danger. Some of the targeted locations have already resumed normal operations. Additionally, on Friday, in response to a separate email threat, local authorities evacuated two elementary schools and closed a middle school. The link between the sender of the Friday threat and those responsible for the weekend threats remains unclear, according to Springfield Mayor Rob Rue.
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