TOLEDO, Ohio - An active shooter training exercise was held last week in the same building where Toledoans were voting in the primary election.
Some voters are raising concerns that such an event would coincide with an election day at a polling place.
It is unclear who was responsible for the scheduling conflict.
The active shooter training was an annual drill for students at Toledo Early College High School (TECH), which operates on Scott Park campus, owned by the University of Toledo.
Gloria Pankey, a Toledo resident campaigning outside the site, said police began going in and out of the building at 7 a.m.
Two people left after learning about the active shooter simulation from a police officer, she said.
“Some people were coming up and he [a police officer] was saying they were going to be pulling guns and shooting, it was going to be loud, so they just left,” Pankey said.
The training exercise was inside one end of the building while voting was happening on the other.
Black curtains were the only thing separating the two events. The building’s exterior windows were not covered.
Some students posed as wounded or killed victims in the concourse hallway, said Kaylee Zervas, a senior at TECH.
A sign that read, “Do not enter there is an active shooter training in session,” was displayed.
Police Presence
Officers from the Toledo Police Department (TPD), University of Toledo Police Department (UTPD), firefighters, and medics took part in the simulation.
UT campus police were assisting, UT Chief of Police Jeff Newton said, but there was no interference with the voting.
“I think any allegation of that is silly,” he said. “The exercise was about 15 minutes. We met with the board of elections to make sure everything was satisfactory to them and it was.
“It did turn out those two things were scheduled at the same time, but I don’t think anyone had any awareness of it until late in the game.”
But Julian Mack, a local activist, said the heavy police presence was intimidating for some.
“It’s no secret that college students and the African-American community have a decent, justified fear of law enforcement,” he said.
In a Facebook Live video filmed by Mack at 2:09 p.m., nine officers are seen inside the building near the polling site.
“At every exit or where you enter there were armed police guards,” said Zervas.
Toledo police did not return calls for comment.
Some voters are raising concerns that such an event would coincide with an election day at a polling place.
It is unclear who was responsible for the scheduling conflict.
The active shooter training was an annual drill for students at Toledo Early College High School (TECH), which operates on Scott Park campus, owned by the University of Toledo.
Gloria Pankey, a Toledo resident campaigning outside the site, said police began going in and out of the building at 7 a.m.
Two people left after learning about the active shooter simulation from a police officer, she said.
“Some people were coming up and he [a police officer] was saying they were going to be pulling guns and shooting, it was going to be loud, so they just left,” Pankey said.
The training exercise was inside one end of the building while voting was happening on the other.
Black curtains were the only thing separating the two events. The building’s exterior windows were not covered.
Some students posed as wounded or killed victims in the concourse hallway, said Kaylee Zervas, a senior at TECH.
A sign that read, “Do not enter there is an active shooter training in session,” was displayed.
Police Presence
Officers from the Toledo Police Department (TPD), University of Toledo Police Department (UTPD), firefighters, and medics took part in the simulation.
UT campus police were assisting, UT Chief of Police Jeff Newton said, but there was no interference with the voting.
“I think any allegation of that is silly,” he said. “The exercise was about 15 minutes. We met with the board of elections to make sure everything was satisfactory to them and it was.
“It did turn out those two things were scheduled at the same time, but I don’t think anyone had any awareness of it until late in the game.”
But Julian Mack, a local activist, said the heavy police presence was intimidating for some.
“It’s no secret that college students and the African-American community have a decent, justified fear of law enforcement,” he said.
In a Facebook Live video filmed by Mack at 2:09 p.m., nine officers are seen inside the building near the polling site.
“At every exit or where you enter there were armed police guards,” said Zervas.
Toledo police did not return calls for comment.
Scheduling Snafu
LaVera Scott, executive director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, said she learned about the active shooter training the day before the election via an email from a UT reservations assistant.
The email stated that police officers and firefighters would be circulating the building and activating emergency alarm systems.
“My conversation with her was that ‘somebody had to know before this time,’” she said. “We had sent notification months ahead of time and they’ve been a polling location for a very long time so that wasn’t anything new.”
The active shooter training required poll workers to set up in a different part of the building from previous elections, Scott said.
“Needless to say, that doesn’t give you any time to move a polling location,” Scott said. “It was bothersome but I’m glad voters still went to vote. But I do know it did cause some concern for some people because they didn’t know what was going on.”
Karen Berman, principal at Toledo Early College, said UT police notified her of the scheduling conflict the day before the election. Scheduling events in the building is not a function of the school, she said.
UT spokesperson Meghan Cunningham declined an interview but released a statement that said the board of elections was notified in advance of the training.
The training lasted about 20 minutes, Cunningham said.
Mack said he has reached out to the ACLU of Ohio about the incident.
“That type of fear factor should not be so close to a voting booth on election day. Somebody should be held accountable, without a doubt, the question is ‘who?’”
By Sarah McRitchie
LaVera Scott, executive director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, said she learned about the active shooter training the day before the election via an email from a UT reservations assistant.
The email stated that police officers and firefighters would be circulating the building and activating emergency alarm systems.
“My conversation with her was that ‘somebody had to know before this time,’” she said. “We had sent notification months ahead of time and they’ve been a polling location for a very long time so that wasn’t anything new.”
The active shooter training required poll workers to set up in a different part of the building from previous elections, Scott said.
“Needless to say, that doesn’t give you any time to move a polling location,” Scott said. “It was bothersome but I’m glad voters still went to vote. But I do know it did cause some concern for some people because they didn’t know what was going on.”
Karen Berman, principal at Toledo Early College, said UT police notified her of the scheduling conflict the day before the election. Scheduling events in the building is not a function of the school, she said.
UT spokesperson Meghan Cunningham declined an interview but released a statement that said the board of elections was notified in advance of the training.
The training lasted about 20 minutes, Cunningham said.
Mack said he has reached out to the ACLU of Ohio about the incident.
“That type of fear factor should not be so close to a voting booth on election day. Somebody should be held accountable, without a doubt, the question is ‘who?’”
By Sarah McRitchie
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