Prosecutors say a tense encounter outside a Cincinnati-area Jewish school ended with a 19-year-old Springboro man facing criminal charges after allegedly unleashing antisemitic threats at a student.
Court papers accuse Jackson Mettler of shouting antisemitic slurs and threats near the entrance of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati in Golf Manor on May 4. According to filings, Mettler told a student, “If I were you, I’d get my a** back inside,” and the student, fearing for his safety, retreated into the building. Mettler is now charged with menacing, with an ethnic‑intimidation specification tied to the encounter.
Police And Court Papers Describe The Confrontation
As reported by WKRC Local 12, court records state that Mettler shouted “f*** the Jews” and “Free Palestine” near the school’s entrance before telling the student to go back inside. The student reportedly did exactly that, with documents noting he feared Mettler might harm him or other students. Local filings list a menacing charge and an ethnic‑intimidation allegation stemming from what happened outside the school.
At The Yeshiva
Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati is a boys’ yeshiva on Section Road that serves the local Orthodox community. The school is listed as a longstanding institution in Golf Manor and the wider Cincinnati Jewish community, according to the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati.
What Ohio Law Says
Under Ohio law, ethnic intimidation is an enhancement that can apply when a defined underlying offense is committed because of a person’s race, color, religion, or national origin (ORC 2927.12). The menacing statute cited in this case, ORC 2903.22, covers conduct that intentionally places another person in fear of imminent serious physical harm. When prosecutors allege that bias motivated an offense, the ethnic‑intimidation designation can change how the case is charged and what penalties they seek.
Context: Antisemitic Incidents Remain Elevated
The arrest in Golf Manor comes against a backdrop of sustained concern about antisemitic activity nationwide. The Anti‑Defamation League’s Audit of Antisemitic Incidents recorded 6,274 antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2025 and noted that while some categories declined from 2024, assaults and deadly attacks remain a serious concern. The ADL reports that schools and public spaces continue to be frequent locations for harassment and assaults.
The allegations in the filing are criminal charges, not findings of guilt, and Mettler is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court. According to WKRC Local 12, the case is pending in local court and additional details may emerge as new filings are processed. This article will be updated as more public records and court documents become available.
