On Tuesday, an unknown white powdery matter was found at an office in D.C. where former President Barack Obama had leased office space at the World Wildlife Fund headquarters located in the Northwestern part of Washington D.C., FOX5 DC reported. The U.S. Secret Service launched an investigation when the incident was reported at about 12:30 p.m. eastern time at the location.
Investigation details
Washington, D.C. Fire/EMS Chief Edward Smith told FOX 5 DC that a letter containing the white powder substance was sent to the World Wildlife Fund headquarters’ west-end office and the origin of the letter came from an unlikely place, Hong Kong.
There was no return address on the letter and its been reported that the envelope contained baby powder. FOX5 DC reported that there were no injuries and no one had to leave the headquarters. Also, along with the emergency crews and D.C. police on site, the FBI and Secret Service responded as well.
Former President Obama and his family live in the Kalorama community, which is not that far from the World Wildlife Fund headquarters building and there’s no word on whether Obama was in the west end office when the letter incident was reported. The Secret Service continues to investigate and D.C. police say movement and vehicle traffic within the locale will be shut down until the incident has been cleared.
Related incidents
British police shut down a section of the Palace of Westminster, which holds the two branches of the British Parliament in the UK, on Tuesday after a suspicious package that contained white powder was mailed to the UK’s Home Secretary, Amber Rudd. According to The Independent, the package included an incoherent letter that spoke about some radicalization and then referenced the white powder.
The powder appeared to be harmless, though testing of the substance continues.
Then, on Monday, Vanessa Trump, the wife of Donald Trump Jr., who’s the son of U.S. President Donald Trump, had to be transported to a local New York hospital as a safeguard after she opened an envelope that was addressed to Trump Jr. that contained white powder.
It was later found to be nothing more than harmless cornstarch. The return address on that envelope was postmarked out of Boston, Massachusetts.
Fox News on Tuesday also reported that the letter with the white substance mailed to Trump Jr. stated that he will get what he deserves, the New York Police Department verified with Fox News. The exact wording of the threatening letter stated, “You’re an awful person and now you get what you deserve.”
