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Tag: suspicious package

  • Substance found in

    Substance found in

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    Morning Digital Headlines: Sept. 28, 2024


    Morning Digital Headlines: Sept. 28, 2024

    01:07

    ST. PAUL, Minn. — State officials say the substance found in a “suspicious” package delivered to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office on Friday is nonhazardous. 

    The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Minnesota Department of Health spearheaded the investigation and reported the results of their tests on Saturday. However, MDH is continuing to run an additional battery of tests. 

    The package was addressed to the state’s office with a return address that read, “United States Traitor Elimination Army.” The office evacuated after receiving the package and did not return for the rest of the workday on Friday. 

    Several other secretary of state offices and election officials say they have received similar packages over the last few months. 

    Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon released this statement on Saturday:

    “We are thankful for the quick response by our law enforcement partners to ensure the staff members working in our office were safe. We are also grateful to the Minnesota Department of Health, which completed the initial analysis late into the evening on September 27.  

    Fear and intimidation of election workers will not be tolerated. New laws enacted in 2023 make it very clear that it is a crime to intimidate election workers and interfere with the administration of an election. Our focus remains on delivering a free, fair, accurate, and secure election for Minnesotans.”

    New laws protecting election workers went into effect in Minnesota in 2023. These new laws guarantee protection for election workers when it comes to intimidation, administration interference, doxing, obstructing access to polling places, ballot box tampering, tampering of statewide voter registration system, registration list or polling roaster. 

    WCCO Staff


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    The WCCO Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on WCCO.com.

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    WCCO Staff

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  • California secretary of state among officials in 16 states receiving suspicious packages

    California secretary of state among officials in 16 states receiving suspicious packages

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    A suspicious package containing unbleached flour was received at the California secretary of state’s headquarters in Sacramento, in what appears to be the latest in a series of suspicious packages sent to election officials across the country, officials reported Thursday afternoon.

    In total, suspicious packages have been sent to election officials in at least 15 other states, officials said. The source of the Sacramento package is unknown.

    “Field testing and presumptive chemical test by state law enforcement revealed that the material contained within the package was non-hazardous and tested positive for unbleached flour,” Secretary of State Shirley Weber said in a statement, adding that federal authorities will continue to investigate the incident.

    Weber said local elections offices are being advised to take extra precautions before handling mail that arrives at their facilities.

    On Tuesday, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service launched an investigation into suspicious packages sent to election officials in more than a dozen states, including Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Mississippi and Connecticut.

    So far, there have been no reports of injuries caused by the packages or harmful material contained in them. However, “an unknown substance” was found in some packages, FBI spokesperson Kristen Setera said in a statement.

    A package delivered to an election office in Oklahoma was also found to contain flour, state officials reported.

    This is the second time in recent months that election offices in multiple states have been targeted with suspicious mail.

    In November, letters were sent to election offices in five states, several of which were found to include fentanyl, the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service reported.

    This latest wave of suspicious deliveries comes as early voting kicks off for the November election in several states. Former President Trump, the GOP nominee for president, has continued to insist, without proof, that he lost the last election due to voter fraud, putting extra scrutiny on the nation’s balloting process and on election officials.

    On Tuesday, the National Assn. of Secretaries of State, or NASS, issued a statement condemning the the suspicious mailings as well as the recent assassination attempts against Trump.

    “Our democracy has no place for political violence, threats or intimidation of any kind,” the NASS stated.

    Weber said her office will continue to work with state and federal law enforcement to monitor any threats to California election workers.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Clara Harter

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  • Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport; suspect in custody, feds say

    Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport; suspect in custody, feds say

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    A Pennsylvania man is in custody after an explosive was allegedly found in his checked baggage at Lehigh Valley International Airport on Monday, court documents show. Mark Muffley, 40, was taken into custody by the FBI later that night.

    During routine screening by Transportation Security Administration agents, Muffley’s bag set off an alarm indicating it contained suspicious items, according to a criminal complaint. TSA personnel found a “circular compound, approximately three inches in diameter, wrapped in a wax-like paper and clear plastic wrap hidden in the lining of the baggage,” the complaint said.

    The “immediate area” of the airport where the device was found was then evacuated “out of an abundance of caution,” TSA said in a statement.

    The FBI was then contacted and an explosives expert found that the cylinder was filled with flash powder and a type of powder “consistent with a commercial grade firework.” The device also appeared to have had a “hobby fuse” — a type of fuse that burns slower than a “quick fuse” — added on, the complaint alleges.

    An FBI agent determined that the powders were “susceptible to ignite from heat and friction and posed a significant risk to the aircraft and passengers.”

    A surveillance image allegedly showing Mark Muffley. 

    U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania


    A can of butane, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue, a wireless drill with cordless batteries and two taped-together ground fault circuit interrupter outlets were also found in the luggage, the complaint said.

    Muffley was booked to fly to Orlando, but never boarded the flight, the complaint said. Security footage showed him leaving the airport shortly after he was paged on the airport’s public address system, according to the complaint.

    The FBI arrested Muffley at his home in Lansford, Pennsylvania. He is due in court Thursday, where he will appear virtually for a probable cause and detention hearing.

    —Pat Milton contributed reporting.  


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