Goodwill stores, donation centers closed Tuesday and Wednesday after threat
CANTON – Many Goodwill locations in Northeast Ohio were closed Tuesday and Wednesday after the Canton-based nonprofit received anonymous threats about a potential shooting at a local store.
As a precaution, Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio closed its retail stores both days. Goodwill Industries of Akron also closed its sites.
"The safety of the staff, customers and donors is always the first priority at Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio," community relations manager Diane Pilati said Wednesday in a prepared statement.
Goodwill will reopen all locations – except for ones in Stark County – on Thursday. All stores in Stark County will remain closed until Friday, but donations will be accepted at all sites.
The stand-alone attended donation centers will remain closed in Stark County.
Four threats — two by email and two by phone calls — were received by two Canton locations, according to the nonprofit.
Canton police reports show that Goodwill's chief operating officers at the Ninth Street SW location told police that shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday, the organization received two emails from someone "threatening to shoot up a local store."
Police spokesman Lt. Dennis Garren said Wednesday that the investigation was continuing, and that no one has been arrested. The department has subpoenaed an internet company for email information and is awaiting the results, said Police Chief Jack Angelo.
“This incident has been difficult; however, we are confident in the work being done by the FBI and local law enforcement to find resolution," said Anne Richards, local Goodwill's president and chief executive officer.
The Canton nonprofit operates 10 stores in the Cleveland area, seven stores in the Stark County area, and stores in Carrollton, New Philadelphia, Wintersville and Weirton, West Virginia.
Goodwill Industries of Akron, which serves Ashland, Medina, Portage, Richland and Summit counties, also closed its 15 locations.
"As soon as we were notified by our sister Goodwill of threats it received, the decision was made to close all our locations out of an abundance of caution to ensure everyone’s safety," the Akron-based Goodwill said on Facebook.
More: Coming Together Stark County becomes a Goodwill mission
Pilati said the Ken Weber Community Campus at Goodwill, where the organization's corporate offices are located, "will remain open with heightened security from Goodwill security officers and Canton City Police Department."
Goodwill operates retail stores and standalone donation centers throughout a 10-county area. Staff members who were scheduled to work Wednesday will be compensated for their time missed, Pilati said.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Police investigate threat that closed Goodwill stores, donation centers
