Suspicious package sent to elections officials in Minnesota prompts evacuation and FBI investigation
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The FBI and the US Postal Inspection Service on Friday investigated the origins of a suspicious package sent to the Minnesota Department of State, prompting an hours-long evacuation.
Friday’s episode in Minnesota was the last in a series suspicious package deliveries to election officials more than 15 states earlier this month. The Minnesota secretary of state’s office in St. Paul was evacuated around noon Friday and the building remained on lockdown into the afternoon, said Cassondra Knudson, a spokesperson for the office.
The package was addressed to the office with a return address to the United States Traitor Elimination Army, the office said in a news release. That matches the sender of a package to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office earlier this month. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said his office would work with law enforcement to hold accountable whoever sent the package.
“Threatening election officials is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated,” Simon said in a written statement. “Our democracy depends on public servants being able to perform their duties without fear, intimidation or intimidation. This action does not deter our work. or the determination to deliver another election that is free, fair, accurate and secure.”
In Minnesota on Friday and in previous episodes in other states, there were no immediate reports of injuries or that any of the packages contained hazardous material.
The earlier packages were sent to election officials or intercepted before arriving in Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Mississippi and Connecticut.
The FBI said these packages contained “an unknown substance” but provided no further details. The agency declined to provide additional information Friday about the status of the investigation or the specific threat in Minnesota.
The latest scare comes as early voting has begun in several states ahead of the elections high-stakes elections for the president, the U.S. Senate, Congress and key state buildings, disrupting an already tense voting season. Directors of local elections are increasing security to keep workers and poll workers safe while ensuring ballots and voting procedures are not tampered with.
The National Association of Foreign Ministers condemned what it described as a “disturbing trend” of threats against election workers in the run-up to November 5, as well as the second apparent murder attempt about former President Donald Trump.