FBI agents and Phoenix Police Department officers were called to the Republican Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake’s campaign headquarters on Sunday after one of her campaign staffers opened an envelope reportedly containing a white powdery substance.
“Yesterday, a member of the Kari Lake staff opened an envelope delivered to our campaign office that contained suspicious white powder,” Lake campaign spokesperson Colton Duncan told ABC News on Sunday. “It was one of two envelopes that were confiscated by law enforcement and sent to professionals at Quantico for examination, and we are awaiting details.”
Phoenix Police Sgt. Phil Krynsky told ABC News on Sunday that officers responded to a “found property call” at an office near near 40th St. and Camelback Road. Krynsky said “when officers arrived, they learned there were suspicious items located inside the mail.”
“Additional resources responded to collect the items and secure the area,” Krynsky added. “There have been no reports of injury and the investigation remains active.”
Krynsky said the Phoenix Police Department’s Bomb Squad and Hazmat team were brought in. The FBI also assisted in the response.
“Early this morning, Sunday, November 6th, the FBI, along with our local law enforcement partners, responded to a report of suspicious letters at an office building near 40th Street and Camelback Road,” the FBI’s National Press Office said in a statement to ABC News. “No further information will be released at this time.”
The incident comes after a number of security incidents involving both Democrat and Republican candidates running in the 2022 midterms.
On Oct. 19, someone fired a gunshot that went into a home the children of Republican North Carolina Congressional candidate Pat Harrigan were staying during the campaign cycle. The bullet went through the window of a laundry room located below where his children were sleeping. No suspect has been arrested.
Last month, someone broke into Democrat Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobb’s office. A suspect in that case has been arrested and identified as an illegal immigrant wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Last month, a man broke into Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home and assaulted her husband. A suspect has been arrested in that case and identified as David DePape. After his arrest, DePape told police he intended to kidnap Nancy Pelosi, question her and break her kneecaps if she “lied” to him. DePaPe is also wanted by ICE for overstaying a visitor visa from Canada.
