Bomb threat forces lockdowns at 2 Springfield hospitals; nothing found during investigation

SPRINGFIELD — A bomb threat forced two Springfield area hospitals to lock down early Saturday morning.

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News Center 7 first reported that Kettering Health Springfield went into lockdown this morning after receiving information regarding a bomb threat. Now, Mercy Health-Springfield Regional Medical Center officials say they also received reports of a bomb threat Saturday morning and were forced into lockdown.

Mercy Health-Springfield Regional Medical Center got word of a bomb threat shortly after 6 a.m.

“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 spokesperson for the hospital said.

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As reported on News Center 7 on Saturday, local authorities conducted searches of both Springfield hospitals while both were under lockdown.

Nothing was found at either hospital and a spokesperson for Mercy Health-Springfield Regional Medical Center said the threat was determined to be not credible.

The lockdowns have since been lifted.

“The safety protocols we have in place for these instances allow us to work quickly with local law enforcement to investigate threats thoroughly and ensure the safety of our patients and staff,” Kettering Health said in the statement.

A spokesperson for Mercy Health-Springfield Regional Medical Center thanked the Springfield Police Division and their team onsite “for their swift, efficient, and caring response.”

In a statement sent out Saturday afternoon, a spokesperson for the City of Springfield said the city is actively working with the Department of Public Safety and the Dayton office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate where the threats came from.

“It is important to note that the threats received in Springfield this week have not been substantiated and may be indicative of ‘swatting,’” the spokesperson said.

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