LIMA — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is working with local law enforcement agencies in looking into a series of false bomb threats sent Sunday to school divisions throughout the state.
According to correspondence sent to district families, Lima schools was one of multiple districts that received an emailed threat from “someone claiming to be a Russian terrorist, saying that a bomb was going to be detonated in schools today (Dec. 10),” the release said.
Similar correspondence was sent Monday to families at St. Marys schools saying that a threat was received late Sunday.
“The Ohio School Safety Center had sent out notice that these emails were circulating in Ohio schools, and they had in Texas on Friday,” St. Marys Superintendent Bill Ruane said in the letter.
Both the Lima and St. Marys Police Departments were notified about the threat, and in cooperation with the FBI, both of these threats, along with all other threats to Ohio schools, were determined to be hoaxes.
“The FBI takes hoax threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk,” FBI media representative Kimberly Schwarting said in a statement issued Monday. “While we have no information to indicate a specific and credible threat, we will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention.”
Schwarting went on to urge the public to report any threats or suspicious activity or to law enforcement immediately.
