RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Virginia Department of Elections received a package on Wednesday with what officials described as a “suspicious white substance” inside.
The package was received at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, according to a department spokesperson. It contained a “suspicious white substance.”
The person who opened the package contacted the Division of Capitol Police, which then sent officers to the scene. They were joined by personnel with the Richmond Fire Department and the U.S. Postal Service.
According to police, after evaluation, the substance was determined to be non-hazardous. No employees were harmed.
“We would like to thank our local, state and federal partners for their prompt response,” the spokesperson said. “The Virginia Department of Elections remains committed to running accurate, fair, open and secure elections for the citizens of the Commonwealth.”
This comes in the wake of more than 15 other states receiving suspicious packages across the United States, according to the Associated Press . It is not known at this time if this incident in Virginia is connected to what has happened in these other states.