Part of an Atlanta courthouse was evacuated on Friday after a package or letter with white powder was delivered to the office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
Firefighters determined 30 minutes after a hazardous materials response began that the powder was a starch or salt and not harmful, said Atlanta Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Ronald Slatton. The courthouse was reopened shortly afterward.
Four people who complained of headaches were taken to a hospital as a precaution and the third floor of the sprawling Fulton County courthouse complex was evacuated, according to Slatton.
Slatton said he didn’t know who the letter was addressed to, only that it arrived at the district attorney’s office. When asked about a motive, he replied, “That’s for the law enforcement.”
It’s not clear if anyone is investigating the incident as a potential crime. Officer Aaron Fix, a spokesperson for the Atlanta Police Department, referred comment back to Atlanta Fire Rescue. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees courthouse security, isn’t investigating, said spokesperson Natalie Ammons.
