Activity at the Queens County Criminal Courthouse in Kew Gardens was abruptly disrupted on Thursday, April 2, after a mysterious white powder was reported inside the building, according to emergency officials. FDNY and EMS crews rushed to the scene, evaluated people at the courthouse, and started tests to figure out exactly what they were dealing with.
As first reported by PIX11, the Fire Department of New York said multiple people were transported to nearby hospitals after the substance was discovered. Crews stayed on site while testing continued, and the situation was described as still developing.
Similar Scares Have Rattled City Courthouses
This is not the first time reported white powder has thrown a New York City courthouse into emergency mode. A package containing a white substance at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in April 2025 sparked a large hazardous-materials response and led to several people being evaluated, according to BNO News.
What Officials Are Saying So Far
PIX11 reported that authorities had not immediately released the identities or conditions of those taken to hospitals while laboratory testing on the powder continued. Investigators and court security personnel were working alongside emergency crews as the probe moved forward, PIX11 added…