On Sunday an email threat targeting was sent, targeting multiple schools throughout Ohio. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said there was no evidence the threats were credible or that danger was imminent at area schools.
“Nevertheless, the situation is being treated with the utmost seriousness, and all necessary precautions are being taken to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff,” the statement said.
Schools in Texas also received a similar threat Friday.
The sender claimed to be involved in a Russian terrorist organization that planted explosives in multiple school buildings as a result of support for Ukraine.
It’s not clear which schools received threats locally, but Hamilton, Huber Heights, Mad River, Springboro, Beavercreek, Kettering, Oakwood, Northwestern, Centerville and Greenville school districts emailed parents warning them.
Here’s what local schools are saying about the threats.
Hamilton City Schools
“The Hamilton Police Department, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are actively monitoring the threats. While we have no reason to believe these threats are credible, the safety of our students and staff will always come first. We continue to communicate with the Hamilton Police Department and other law enforcement entities and will continue to monitor the situation.”
Oakwood School District
“We take all threats seriously, but this one does not seem credible. Regardless, in the spirit of our messaging to our school community regarding “See Something, Say Something,” we notified Oakwood Public Safety and the Ohio School Safety Network. We will continue to monitor the situation and cooperate with law enforcement on safety procedures.”
Kettering City Schools
“We are reaching out to address a concerning email that has been circulating among Ohio school districts today, including the Kettering City School District. This email claims to be from a Russian terrorist organization, threatening violence with explosive devices at schools. Similar messages were received by school districts across Texas on Friday and deemed to be not credible.
Please be assured that since receiving this message, we have been in close contact with our Kettering Police Department, and KPD and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have been actively monitoring these threats and have deemed them to not be credible. While there is no reason to believe that these threats are credible, we do take this very seriously and will remain in close contact with the Kettering Police Department and local federal agencies as they continue to actively monitor this situation.
Our highest priority is always the safety and well-being of our students and staff. We are committed to keeping you informed and will provide any necessary updates as more information becomes available. In the meantime, we urge everyone to remain vigilant and report any unusual or suspicious activity to our Kettering City Schools Tipline at (937) 643-4444. Our KCS Tipline is monitored 24-7, and all tips received are investigated thoroughly.”
Greenville City Schools
Greenville Superintendent Doug Fries said his district had police go through school buildings and found nothing. Fries said in an email to parents that they expect to have students attend school on Monday.
Springboro City Schools
“A series of concerning emails, allegedly from a ‘Russian terrorist organization’ have been sent to school districts across Ohio, including Springboro Schools and its neighboring districts, threatening violence with explosive devices within schools. We have been in contact with the Springboro Police Department, and these emails have quickly been deemed non-credible and no threat to the district.
These messages mirror similar emails that were sent to school districts in Texas this past weekend, as well as school districts in California last month, which were investigated and found to be non-credible.
According to assessments from the Ohio Homeland Security (OHS)/Terrorism Analysis Unit (TAU) and the Statewide Terrorism Analysis & Crime Center (STACC), the emails appear to be part of a swatting campaign or hoaxes, with no credible threat detected.
We are sharing this information as a precaution and to promote vigilance among our community. It is vital that we remain alert to threats and respond appropriately. We encourage you to contact local authorities immediately if you receive any such threats and to take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our schools and community.
The Springboro Police Department will have an increased presence across the district, strictly as a precautionary measure. If you, or your student(s), have any direct concerns about student safety, please visit our Student Safety Reporting Webpage.
We are grateful for the support of our students, teachers, staff, community, and local law enforcement in working together to keep our schools safe.”
Mad River Local Schools
“As always, the health and safety of our students and staff remain our top priority.
This afternoon, school districts across the state of Ohio, including Mad River, received an email message threatening school buildings from an account claiming to be Russian terrorist. On Friday, school districts in Texas received a very similar message.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, have bee actively monitoring these threats. We have also notified the Ohio School Safety Center, the Riverside Police Department and are working with our school resource office. Our decision to involve the police is a precautionary measure and reflects our commitment to the well-being of our school community.”
Centerville City Schools
“This afternoon, many school districts in Ohio, including Centerville Schools, received a threatening email message from an account claiming to be a Russian terrorist. School districts in Texas received a similar message last Friday.
Law enforcement agencies have been actively monitoring these threats. Through their investigation, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force have deemed these threats not credible.
We shared the email we received with the Centerville Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we are grateful to have such a great partnership with our local law enforcement.
As a reminder, if you or your child hear or see something unusual, report it so it can be investigated immediately. Families in Centerville Schools can report concerns through our 24-hour Safety Helpline by calling 1-866-547-8362 or clicking the Safety Helpline button at the top of our website.
Thank you for your continued support in helping us provide a safe learning environment.”
West Carrollton City Schools
“As always, the health and safety of our students and staff remain our top priority.
This afternoon, school districts across the state of Ohio received an email message threatening school buildings from an account claiming to be a Russian terrorist. On Friday, school districts in Texas received a very similar message.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), have been actively monitoring these threats. A local district has been working with their community law enforcement who notified the local FBI field office and shared the email the school district received along with the recent news story from Texas.
Through their investigation, the FBI has deemed these threats not credible. West Carrollton has not received any threat, but we have already made the Miami Township, Moraine and West Carrollton Police departments aware. If we should receive a threat, we will immediately make our local law enforcement agencies aware.
If families or students are concerned about a potential threat at any time, we encourage them to report their concerts to the Safer Ohio School Tip Line at 1-844-723-3764 or reach out to the school principal, counselor, teacher or any employee. As always, we will be available if you or your child have concerns or need support.
I appreciate your partnership in school safety and providing a safe learning environment for all of our students.”
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