Ohio
Back-to-school means increase in campus threats; experts urge public to stay alert, report suspicious activity
HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio — Back-to-school is in full swing in the Tri-State, but experts said the exciting time of year can also bring the potential for danger as well.
“We tend to see more of the bomb threats or active shooter threats when it comes to go back to school. As well as around the springtime, the very end of spring when we go to get out of school,” said Emily Torok, the executive director of the Ohio School Safety Center.
The Cincinnati area has seen several school threats within just the last 12 months. On Monday, Hamilton High School saw their first day of school end early, after threatening phone calls were made. Back in April, a middle school student at West Clermont Middle School was charged after officials said he created a bomb threat. Even last December, local FBI agents investigated threatening emails made to several local schools.
Even with a large number of incidents at campuses locally, statewide and even nationally, law enforcement experts tell us that the threat of danger is slim.
“The clear majority are not credible, but again, you must take it seriously until you know it’s not credible,” said Mo Canady, a former police officer and executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers.
Canady said Student Resource Officers (SROs) play a pivotal role in deciding how to respond when a school receives a threat, whether in-person, online or by phone.
“It really is important that the SRO is a functional part of any school’s multi-disciplinary safety team,” he said.
Canady said SROs can also be a helpful resource for students or parents to make reports to when something may be off or concerning.
“They’re there to be an advocate for you, to help keep you safe, and they are the right person for you to be able to report something that you see or hear that’s concerning to you,” he said.
The Ohio School Safety Center has a 24/7 resource available for anyone to report threats or suspicious activity, called the “Safer Ohio School Tipline.”
Parents, students or even staff can make anonymous reports online or by calling or texting 844-723-3764.
“The more we can do to have this anonymous reporting solutions out there, to have ways to report suspicious activity, the better our chances are to prevent something from happening,” Torok said.
Outside of the Ohio School Safety Center’s resources, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost also has multiple school threat assessment training videos.
Ohio
NECIC to host community visioning session for Mansfield’s north end in partnership with Heritage Ohio
MANSFIELD — The North End Community Improvement Collaborative, Inc. (NECIC) will host a Community Visioning Session in partnership with Heritage Ohio, Inc. on Tuesday, July 28 at 6 p.m. at the United Steelworkers Hall, located at 376 West Longview Avenue in Mansfield.
The public is invited to attend and share input on the future of Mansfield’s North End, with a focus on strengthening neighborhood revitalization efforts and identifying opportunities for continued growth and investment.
The session is part of an upcoming visit from Heritage Ohio’s Downtown Assessment Resource Team, also known as D.A.R.T. The visit is designed to help communities explore next steps for revitalization and introduce the key building blocks of a successful long term revitalization effort: organization, promotion, design, and economic vitality.
NECIC reached out to Heritage Ohio as part of its ongoing work to support revitalization in the North End, especially near the corner of Springmill Street and Bowman Street, where NECIC has been focusing recent revitalization efforts.
Since joining the organization in early 2025, NECIC President & CEO Matthew Benko- Scruggs has placed a strong focus on revitalization near the corner of Springmill Street and Bowman Street.
This work has included the organization’s move back into the neighborhood, continued investment in the area, and community centered efforts such as the Springmill Spring Cleanup event.
During the Community Visioning Session, residents, business owners, stakeholders, and other community members will have the opportunity to learn more about Heritage Ohio, the revitalization process, and ways they can help shape the future of the North End.
“We want this process to be rooted in the voices of the people who live, work, and invest in the North End,” said Benko-Scruggs. “This session is an opportunity for the community to share ideas and help guide what revitalization can look like in our neighborhood.”
Heritage Ohio, Inc. is a statewide nonprofit organization that supports the development, redevelopment, and improvement of downtowns and neighborhood districts throughout Ohio through technical assistance, training, networking, and advocacy.
Community members are encouraged to attend and take part in the conversation.
For more information, contact Director of Community Organizing Emily Schwan at 419-
522-1611, ext. 109 or Emily@necic-ohio.org.
Ohio
9 indicted for allegedly being part of human trafficking ring in Ohio
A grand jury in Franklin County, Ohio, indicted nine people suspected of being involved in a human trafficking ring, officials said.
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a news release on Monday that the nine people were indicted on a combined 42 felony charges in connection with the human trafficking investigation. Marcus Gant, Magon Smith, Raymond Valentine, Aimee Fabin, John W. Gibson II, Malik Jackson, Kayla Wheeler, Jeremy Lindsey, and Mackenzie Fitzpatrick face a variety of charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. All nine are in custody.
The news release said they are accused of using narcotics to coerce women into commercial sex work at the Econo Lodge on North Wilson Road. The suspects then laundered money through Valentine Floral on Eakin Road, officials said. The alleged crimes took place between April 2025 and January 2026.
Some of those charged face trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution and promoting prostitution charges. Of the nine, Gant faces the most charges. The 37-year-old from Columbus faces 11 different counts related to the human trafficking investigation.
The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force led that investigation, the news release added.
According to Monday’s news release, the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office has taken previous legal action against the Econo Lodge. Officials said a lawsuit was filed earlier this year against the owner of a hotel, who was accused of “neglecting to address repeated drug and violent activity on the property.” A settlement was reached.
People can report human trafficking in Ohio by calling 844-END-OHHT, texting “ENDOHHT” to 847411, downloading the END OHHT app or submitting information online.
Ohio
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