White powder at Herschler Building test results negative, FBI investigation continues

CHEYENNE — The white powder that caused the Herschler Building to be evacuated Monday has undergone testing and is not a threat to public health or safety, according to Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray.

The powder has not yet been identified, but the office building adjacent to the state Capitol is again open for business.

Employees were back in their offices as of Tuesday, after being sent home to work remotely Monday while authorities responded to a suspicious package containing the white powder delivered to the Secretary of State’s office. No injuries were reported.

In response to the package, the entire east wing of the Herschler Building was evacuated. It houses the Secretary of State’s Office, the Wyoming Departments of Education and Revenue, and the state treasurer’s and state auditor’s offices.

Wyoming was one of more than a dozen states where elections officials received a suspicious package Monday or Tuesday. In addition to the Cowboy State, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Tennessee had all received the packages.

At least six offices received packages containing the harmless white powder, but in Kansas, a larger package was also sent to the Attorney General’s office.

Gray told the WTE via text message Monday that his office immediately contacted law enforcement once the powder was discovered, and the building was evacuated. The office also notified county election officials, advising them to use precautions and be aware of potentially suspicious mail.

“We take this very seriously,” Gray stated via a news release. “We will continue to work with law enforcement in monitoring this situation.”

Employees and others in the Herschler Building were evacuated from the building by 11:30 a.m., and by noon, a bomb squad had entered the building. Cheyenne Fire Rescue was among the local agencies that responded to the scene.

Michael Pearlman, a spokesperson for Gov. Mark Gordon, told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that the governor was informed of the events and confirmed that the FBI will take over the investigation.

“He’s very grateful for the response that we had,” Pearlman said. “We have to take all these threats seriously. The governor strongly condemns any attempt to either intimidate or cause any real harm to elected officials.”

The case was handed over to the FBI, and the origin of these packages and whether they’re connected has not yet been determined.

“The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states,” an FBI spokesperson told the WTE via email Tuesday. “Some of the letters contained an unknown substance, and we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to respond to each incident and safely collect the letters. We are also working with our partners to determine how many letters were sent, the individual or individuals responsible for the letters, and the motive behind the letters.”

Since the investigation is ongoing, the spokesperson was unable to comment further.

“The public can be assured safety is our top priority,” according to the FBI statement. “We would also like to remind everyone to exercise care in handling mail, especially from unrecognized senders. If you see something suspicious, please contact law enforcement immediately.”

Government officials and law enforcement have been on high alert about white powder in envelopes since 2001, when letters laced with anthrax began appearing in the U.S. mail a week after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to FBI.gov.

In that instance, five Americans were killed and 17 were sickened in what became the worst biological attacks in U.S. history, according to the FBI.