State troopers to protect Springfield schools after multiple threats

SPRINGFIELD — Starting today, local schools are making changes after continued threats.

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As reported Tuesday on News Center 7 Daybreak, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers were stationed at schools throughout the Springfield City School District, Governor Mike DeWine announced Monday.

The city has been in the national spotlight after false rumors about its Haitian immigrants.

He also directed Ohio Homeland Security to begin vulnerability assessments on critical infrastructure in Springfield.

State troopers will sweep every Springfield School City District

“Our schools must remain open. They are going to remain open,” said DeWine. “But to ensure parents that their child is safe, which every parent has every right to believe and to know, we’re taking this absolutely extraordinary and extra step.”

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He said the new security measures are only for Springfield City Schools for now but are certainly looking at other places.

Neighbors told News Center 7 they feel the tension.

“It’s tense. It makes you want to just be prayerful more than you usually are. It makes you just want to hang in there because we’re better than this,” said Dee Hart.

“We’re just college students trying to get our education and, you know, the problems with politics and all that stuff, that has nothing to do with us,” said Marcus Randolph, Wittenberg University.

We will update this story.

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