New disturbing details have emerged about threats targeting a Springfield university after former President Donald Trump spread baseless claims about local immigrant eating pets, CNN reported Tuesday.
Wittenberg University president Dr. Michael Frandsen appeared on the cable news network Tuesday morning to discuss the violent threats that forced him to transition students to remote learning — and to share a fact that shocked anchor Wolf Blitzer.
"It's chilling to hear that students are being named in some of these threats," Blitzer said. "That's very chilling."
Wittenberg University has received multiple threats from what appears to be a single source now being investigated by Springfield police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Frandsen told Blitzer.
The threats, not deemed credible, warn of physical violence, bombings and shootings, he said.
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Frandsen said students are stunned by what is occurring in the Ohio town, which has seen 33 bomb threats, trooper patrols at 17 local schools, two elementary school evacuations and virtual learning implemented at two colleges, CNN reported.
"There's shock and disbelief given what are experience here in Springfield is every day," Fransden said. "We've seen tremendous growth in our population, primarily a Haitian immigrants coming here legally to work, and the interactions with those folks around town are positive."
The uptick in violent threats occurred after Trump and running mate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) spread baseless claims that Haitians had been stealing and eating residents' dogs and cats.
Trump did so at his first presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris last Tuesday.
Vance on Sunday told CNN's Dana Bash that he felt justified in creating stories if it focused media attention on problems caused by the Biden Administration's immigration policies.
But Frandsen condemned Trump's and Vance's remarks as falsehoods and said what his town needs is "help, not hate."
