The incident involving Pierre Damas Bel occurred on the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 in Clark County, near Springfield, Ohio. [1, 2, 3]
According to reports from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the event took place on the highway where he was struck by a commercial vehicle. [1, 2, 3]
For a detailed look at the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, you can watch this report outlining his family's statements:
Has Senator Mike DeWine commented about this or connected it with the previous stories about Haitians in Ohio eating cats and dogs according to President Trump?
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine—who previously served as a U.S. Senator—commented directly on the tragedy. He called the death of Pierre Damas Bel a "horrible, horrible tragedy" during a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse. DeWine did not connect the suicide to President Trump's past claims about Springfield immigrants eating pets, but instead used the moment to openly criticize federal immigration practices, specifically labeling the mass deportation efforts and policy actions affecting local Haitians as "very misguided and wrong." [1, 2, 3, 4]
Regarding the broader connection to Donald Trump's rhetoric and previous claims:
- The Suicide Response: DeWine's focus following the suicide was on the specific federal mandate requiring non-criminal individuals to wear ICE GPS ankle monitors, which family members and advocates said led to the intense shame and bullying that drove Bel to suicide. DeWine explicitly stated that forcing mass deportations and heavy-handed enforcement onto people like Bel—who was an honor student working to positively contribute to Ohio—is not in the best interest of the state or the country. [1, 2]
- Past Comments on Pet-Eating Stories: While Governor DeWine did not loop those specific debate talking points into his statements on this suicide, he has historically and repeatedly condemned them. He has previously gone on record calling the internet rumors about Haitian immigrants eating pets "garbage" and "simply not true," while actively defending Springfield's legal Haitian population as hardworking, valuable community members. [1, 2]