Overview
- A letter opened Friday at Rep. Ritchie Torres’ Bronx district office exposed six staffers to an unknown white powder, and hazmat teams later determined the substance was non-hazardous.
- Torres’ staff notified the FBI, NYPD and FDNY and the envelope was turned over to the FBI for further laboratory testing and investigation.
- The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service have opened a joint inquiry into a wave of similar suspicious mailings to congressional and election-related addresses nationwide, though the bureau has not confirmed links between each incident.
- Torres said the envelope showed a San Antonio return address, and officials across several states have intercepted other suspicious pieces that are now being analyzed by federal labs.
- The incidents have left staff shaken despite no reported injuries and could increase security measures for lawmakers and election offices while investigators work to identify and prosecute those responsible.