WATCH: Springfield, OH Man Speaks Out To Major Outlet, Blows Hole In Media’s Narrative

Springfield, Ohio resident David Cook has spoken out to Blaze Media’s Julio Rosas, offering his perspective on the ongoing narrative surrounding the city’s Haitian immigrant community. The town became the center of a media firestorm after former President Donald Trump, during a televised debate, amplified reports that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were abducting and eating pets. Trump specifically mentioned Springfield, asserting that immigrants were taking over the town and engaging in alarming behavior.

David Cook, a long-time Springfield resident, took Blaze Media to a local school bus crash site, where a tragic accident left one child dead and others injured. According to reports, the crash was caused by a Haitian immigrant who did not possess a driver’s license. Cook, who has lived through Springfield’s ups and downs, shared his concerns about the changes in the city, pointing to the larger context of its history and development.

“I’ve heard the comments about, oh well, we brought all these Haitians in to try to help turn Springfield around,” Cook said. However, he was quick to counter the notion that Springfield needed saving. “I don’t think it needed turned around… who doesn’t like cheap labor? But as far as its viability as a city and things that you can do here, this is as good as it gets anywhere in America.”

Cook went on to describe Springfield as a once-thriving manufacturing hub that experienced significant economic decline in the 1960s and 1970s. “We fell on some tough times,” Cook admitted, adding that many long-time residents still view Springfield as a struggling community. “We’ve always been a bedroom community, because Columbus is 45 minutes one direction, and Dayton’s 20 minutes the other direction. And it’s, you’ve got that bit… we’ve also got a lot of service businesses here.”

While acknowledging that there is less manufacturing work than in the past, Cook remains optimistic about Springfield’s future. “Impact-wise, we all would like to see more production going on here, more manufacturing,” he said. “But we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”

Springfield, OH native speaks out: “I’ve heard comments about ‘Oh, we brought these Haitians in to turn Springfield around.’ I don’t think it needed turned around. I’ve traveled the country. I’ve been to 49 states. This is as good as it gets anywhere in America.”

WATCH:

“They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” Trump said during the ABC debate on September 10, sparking further controversy. The controversy led to heightened tensions in the city, including bomb threats — all of which originated overseas — and a call for increased security at local meetings.

Last week a Springfield mother shared with former Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy that her daughter was chased by a machete-wielding migrant, further expressing fear for her daughters’ safety amid a growing migrant influx. She recounted how her daughter had been stalked and chased by immigrants, with a delayed police response. Ramaswamy addressed the situation by highlighting the broader immigration crisis, stating that when migrants break laws upon entry, it sets a precedent for further violations

NEW: Springfield, Ohio, mother tells Vivek Ramaswamy that an immigrant with a machete chased her daughter, and the police didn’t respond to her call.

@VivekGRamaswamy
: “If your first act of entering the country breaks the law, then you are more likely to break the law when you are already here.”

“In this town alone, there are double the number of shoplifting crimes in the last two years. Auto thefts are up by 50% in that same time frame.”

“We have to restore that culture of the rule of law. When people see the top law enforcement agencies not following the law, they rightly ask the question, well, why the heck should I have to follow the law?”

The Springfield City Commission held a meeting last Tuesday night amidst this growing tension, implementing unprecedented security measures. Residents and officials gathered to address the rumors, but the debate over the presence and impact of Haitian immigrants in the city continues to rage on.