NASHVILLE, Tenn. — HAZMAT and emergency crews responded to the Tennessee State Capitol on Thursday after lawmakers said someone sent a suspicious envelope with powder to the Cordell Hull State Office Building in Nashville.
Few details are available at the moment.
Rep. Torrey Harris (D-Memphis) said he was at the office but left after emergency crews arrived, asking people to stay away from the building.
A staffer who works for Sen. Becky Massey (R-Knoxville) said a suspicious package arrived on the sixth floor of the building, which is where Republican House leaders work. People in the building were alerted around 11:35 a.m.
According to the staffer, Massey's office is on the seventh floor. They were told they could leave because they were not locked down, but no one was allowed to enter the building.
“I am aware of a possible issue involving the legislative offices of some members of House Republican leadership receiving in the mail a white powder substance. The sixth floor has been placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution, and hazmat teams are on scene assessing the situation," Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) said.
The incident comes just days after a similar mail threat was reported in Kansas. According to a Monday report from the Associated Press, roughly 100 letters containing a suspicious white powder were sent to lawmakers and other public officials across Kansas. The case was turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This story is developing and will be updated as new information is available.
