Print edition: 
WASHINGTON — The Wichita office of Sen. Pat Roberts received a threatening letter Thursday containing a “suspicious powdery substance.”
The letter was similar to others that first showed up in other congressional offices earlier this week.
Sarah Little, a spokesman for the Kansas Republican, confirmed the arrival of the letter. Two Roberts employees work in the office, she said.
“While none of the mail received and tested thus far has been found to be harmful, it is clear that the person sending these letters is organized and committed, and the potential to do harm remains very real,” according to a memo from Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer.
Emergency dispatchers said someone in Roberts’ office at 155 N. Market called 911 shortly after 1 p.m. to report receiving the letter. Local law enforcement officials were investigating the incident.
Three Wichita fire trucks and a hazardous materials truck were parked in the 100 block of First Street for most of Thursday afternoon as investigators tried to determine the source of the letter.
“Authorities have assured Sen. Roberts that the situation is under control and the office will reopen tomorrow for business as usual,” Little said.
The FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Capitol Police and U.S. Postal Inspection Service are all involved the investigation of the letters, which started arriving at the district offices of several members of Congress, as well as some media organizations, on Tuesday.
The lawmakers include Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Sens. Dan Coats of Indiana, a Republican, and Patty Murray of Washington, a Democrat.
Gainer said the origin of the letters was the Pacific Northwest.
“Senate offices need to take this threat very seriously and remain extra vigilant when handling their mail,” he said in the memo. “All letters and packages from unknown sources should be treated as suspicious.”
The letters triggered an echo of the episode in 2001 shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks when mail containing deadly anthrax spores arrived at two Senate offices on Capitol Hill, as well as several media organizations. Five people died and 17 others were infected.
The FBI called it “the worst biological attacks in U.S. history.” It triggered a lengthy and controversial criminal investigation and an overhaul of Capitol Hill mail procedures.
Contributing: Hurst Laviana of The Eagle
