U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer says everyone in her Omaha office is safe after staff received a letter containing a suspicious substance. The letter was safely removed, and the substance is being tested.
Fischer said staff contacted Omaha police and U.S. Capitol Police after receiving the mailing. “After receiving a letter enclosed with a suspicious substance, staff in my Omaha office contacted the Omaha Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police,” Fischer said in a statement provided to KLIN News.
Fischer thanked authorities for their response and confirmed that no one in the office was harmed. “Everyone in my office is safe. I send my sincere gratitude to our law enforcement for handling this situation swiftly and with professionalism,” she said.
The announcement follows suspicious mailings received by two other Nebraska officials’ offices. Sen. Pete Ricketts’ Omaha office received a letter containing a powdery substance Friday. Authorities tested that substance and determined it was not hazardous.
Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen’s office announced Thursday that staff had isolated a suspicious envelope matching the description of mailings sent to other state election offices nationwide. That envelope remained unopened and was turned over to the FBI for analysis.
Fischer’s statement did not identify the substance, say when the letter arrived or indicate whether authorities had connected it to the other mailings.