Are Haitian migrants in Springfield stealing geese and ducks? Ohio DNR finds no evidence

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources found no proof of Haitian immigrants in Springfield harvesting geese or ducks, despite rumors about the city's immigrant population that have dominated the internet and national news.

The department fielded two complaints in recent months about Haitians stealing waterfowl around local parks and trails, according to records obtained by USA TODAY Network Ohio. In both cases ? one from March and another last month ? investigators did not find any supporting evidence to back up the callers' reports.

A viral photo of someone carrying a dead goose was taken in Columbus, not Springfield ? and the original poster said he regrets ever sharing it. Columbus is about 40 miles east of Springfield.

Former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have amplified claims that Haitian immigrants are eating pets and abducting wildlife amid broader scrutiny of their impact on the Ohio city. An estimated 15,000 Haitians arrived in Springfield in recent years as part of a Biden administration program that helps migrants fleeing violence in their home countries.

Many of them came to Springfield for jobs that locals wouldn't take. Officials say the sudden population surge sparked a housing crisis and strained resources, but they've dismissed rumors circulating around social media.

"While we are experiencing challenges related to the rapid growth of our immigrant population, these challenges are primarily due to the pace of the growth, rather than the rumors being reported," Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck said Wednesday.

What did the Ohio DNR complaints say?

The first report to DNR occurred well before Springfield resident Anthony Harris told local officials in August that Haitian migrants were decapitating ducks.

The department has a dedicated wildlife officer in Clark County who routinely monitors Snyder Park in Springfield because it's a popular fishing area, spokesperson Karina Cheung said. That officer received a complaint on March 27 from someone who claimed to see a group of Haitians take off with a Canada goose and mallard.

"The reporting party advised three Haitian males, grabbed a live duck and a live goose and placed them in black trash bag," the report states. "The reporting party advised that the individuals got into a Silver Honda Odyssey with 30 day tags on it and drove away."

The caller did not provide any information that could have identified a suspect, according to a follow-up report in June closing the case. The officer said he monitored the area "but never found any evidence of the alleged crimes."

On Aug. 26, the Clark County Sheriff's non-emergency line fielded a call from someone who said he saw four Haitians carrying geese while he was on a trail. He provided a partial license plate number and vehicle description but said he was not able to get a photo, according to audio of the call.

USA TODAY Network Ohio attempted to reach the caller at the phone number he provided to dispatchers, but the person who answered said it was the wrong number. A different phone number associated with the caller's name in public records was disconnected.

Cheung said DNR was initially unable to reach the witness but later connected with him. The agency never found evidence to verify his claim.

Cincinnati Enquirer reporter Victoria Moorwood contributed.

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Are Haitian immigrants killing ducks in Springfield, Ohio?