ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) 鈥 The FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on Friday were investigating the origin of a suspicious package that was sent to the Minnesota Secretary of State's Office, prompting an hourslong evacuation.
Friday's episode in Minnesota was the latest in a string of deliveries to elections officials in earlier this month. The Minnesota Secretary of State's Office in St. Paul was evacuated around noon on Friday, and the building remained under 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 鈥淯nited States Traitor Elimination Army,鈥 the office said in a news release. That matches the sender of a package to the Colorado Secretary of State鈥檚 Office earlier this month. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said his office would work with law enforcement agencies to hold whoever sent the package accountable.
鈥淭hreatening election officials is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated," Simon said in a written statement. 鈥淥ur democracy depends on public servants who must be able to perform their duties free from fear, intimidation, or harassment. This action is not deterring our work or determination to deliver another election that is free, fair, accurate, and secure.鈥
In Minnesota on Friday and in the earlier 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 elections officials or intercepted before they arrived in Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island, Mississippi and Connecticut.
The FBI said those packages contained 鈥渁n unknown substance鈥 but did not offer further details. The agency declined to offer additional information about the status of the investigation or the specific threat in Minnesota on Friday.
The latest scare comes as early voting has begun in several states ahead of the for president, U.S. Senate, Congress and key statehouse offices, disrupting an already tense voting season. Local elections directors to keep workers and polling places safe while also ensuring that ballots and voting procedures won鈥檛 be tampered with.
The 春色直播 Association of Secretaries of State condemned what it described as a 鈥渄isturbing trend鈥 of threats to election workers leading up to Nov. 5, as well as the second on former President Donald Trump.
