TOLEDO, Ohio — Authorities are investigating after several local hospitals and synagogues received emailed bomb threats Tuesday morning.
Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay, Fulton County Health Center in Wauseon, Congregation B’nai Israel and Temple Shomer Emunim all were targeted by the threats, which some officials are describing as "swatting" incidents designed to cause panic.
At 10 a.m., Findlay Police said Blanchard Valley Hospital received a bomb threat via email. The threat stated "that explosives were located in the building," police said.
Officials from the police department, Hancock County Sheriff's Office, hospital security team and Findlay Fire Department responded to the hospital after the threat was received.
Officials searched inside the hospital, as well as around the exterior of the hospital and hospital grounds, officials said. Bomb-detecting dogs also helped with the search, police said.
"Nothing suspicious was located during the search of the property," police said in a statement released to local media. "The message received was vague and determined to be part of a swatting style call, received at several hospitals in multiple areas within the State of Ohio."
At about 10:30 a.m., the Fulton County Sheriff's Office said it was notified of a similar threat at the Fulton County Health Center in Wauseon.
Wauseon police and fire departments, along with the Fulton County Sheriff's Office responded to the hospital and completed a search, the sheriff's office said.
"Working together with Fulton County Health Center staff, everything was found to be safe and staff returned to work," the sheriff's office said.
Also Tuesday, the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Toledo said bomb threats were sent to a pair of synagogues in Sylvania.
Congregation B’nai Israel and Temple Shomer Emunim received separate threats via email, according to the federation. The same synagogues received similar threats earlier in December.
Police searched both synagogues Tuesday and determined the threats were not credible, the federation said.
"Police and the FBI are investigating to determine the source of these antisemitic threats, but it comes at a time when hundreds of synagogues nationwide are being targeted for bomb threats in a crime called 'swatting," the federation said in a statement online. "Other synagogues across Ohio received the same emails this morning. We are deeply grateful for law enforcement’s response to ensure the safety of our community."
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