Waukesha, State Authorities Investigating Suspicious Package

WAUKESHA, WI —Authorities in Waukesha said Monday that an investigation is underway after suspicious envelopes containing a white, powdery substance were received by a local resident, according to Fox 6.

The envelopes have been turned over to the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratories (WSCL) for further analysis. No injuries were reported, authorities said.

Waukesha officials said fire department personnel were in the parking lot of City Hall on Monday when the resident pulled up in a vehicle with the suspicious envelopes and asked what should be done in that situation.

According to the WFD, the resident said they had received the suspicious envelopes in the mail and got exposed to an unknown white powder. The resident was driving to the police station to report the incident, when they came across fire officials at City Hall, Fox 6 reported.

Fire officials made it clear that City Hall was not a target in any way.

After receiving the package, fire officials said they conducted a preliminary investigation of the white-powdery substance, according to Fox 6.

The station reported that the package then was turned over to the Waukesha Police Department. Later, the package was sealed and turned over to the crime lab.

Waukesha police said its investigators will collaborate with federal, state and local partners to determine the package's origin.

The incident comes three days after Waukesha fire crews responded to a Pewaukee Goodwill after 11 employees reported respiratory discomfort after opening dusty donation bins on Saturday.

A hazardous materials crew responded to the scene and monitored the air, but did not find any airborne hazards.

The HAZMAT team found that the donation bins had an excessive amount of dust, but no other dangers.

None of the employees who reported respiratory discomfort asked for medical treatment, according to the fire department.

Authorities did tell Fox 6 that they encourage anyone who encounters a suspicious device or unknown substance to leave it where they found it, allowing responders to contain the impacted area and mitigate the incident in a safe manner.