NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Cordell Hull Building has been shut down as Republican leadership reportedly received envelopes with a white powder substance.
"The letters contained obvious threats made by a liberal activist specifically targeting Republicans. The sixth floor of the Cordell Hull Building remains on lockdown while Homeland Security and first responders investigate. All employees and members in the building are safe," a statement from the House GOP said.
Outside the Cordell Hull building, both onlookers and individuals affected by the lockdown expressed their confusion.
Jack Tracy, a witness present at the nearby bus station, described the scene, saying,
"Emergency vehicles everywhere and the sidewalk taped off. Just wondering what was going on, where they were at, you know, usual things."
Firetrucks lined the street while crime scene tape and barricades effectively cordoned off the area, preventing access to curious bystanders.
The FBI is investigating the series of suspicious letters, some of which were found to contain an unknown substance.
The Tennessee House Republican leadership confirmed that they were among the recipients of these letters, leading to the immediate lockdown of Cordell Hull and the dispatch HazMat teams to assess the situation.
In a tweet, the Tennessee House Republicans revealed that the letters contained explicit threats and were allegedly sent by a liberal activist specifically targeting GOP members. However, when approached for further comment, an FBI spokesperson declined, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
As the investigation continues to unfold, authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety of the public officials involved and to bring those responsible for these unsettling acts to justice.
A statement from the FBI said labaratory testing is ongoing, but has not indicated risk to public safety as of now. Officials are working to determine how many letters were sent, the motive for sending them and who is responsible for sending them.
"As this is an ongoing matter, we will not be commenting further regarding our steps or methods, but the public can be assured that law enforcement will continue to keep the public's safety as its top priority," the FBI statement said.
This is a breaking news situation, we will update as more information comes in.
