Authorities in the nation’s capital confirmed that the headquarters of the Republican National Committee had been locked down on Wednesday morning following reports of a suspicious package found at the site.
Capitol Police have told congressional offices they are investigating a “suspicious substance” at the RNC’s address, per notice obtained by @Axios
“Staff and other personnel are directed to AVOID THIS AREA until further notice,” it says. https://t.co/epEFdzP6Lh
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) May 22, 2024
A subsequent update indicated that the package contained vials of blood and, as of the most recent reports available, the lockdown order appears to have been lifted.
The Daily Wire provided additional details:
“The package was just cleared by our Hazardous Incident Response Division,” the U.S. Capitol Police said. “It contained two vials of blood. The source of the package and its contents will be further investigated.”
At 8:29 a.m. local time, NBC News correspondent Dasha Burns broke the news in a post to X, saying that the RNC’s building went under lockdown “until further notice” and that sources had told her a hazmat team was on site.
News of the incident soon spread across social media:
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO:@LoomerUnleashed is on the scene of RNC Headquarter office in DC, which is currently under LOCKDOWN with a Hazmat team on site after reports that a suspicious substance was found. pic.twitter.com/ivP1bUAney
— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) May 22, 2024
🚨 BREAKING: RNC HQ is under lockdown due to a suspicious substance on site.
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 22, 2024
The potential threat was only more pronounced in light of the pipe bomb located at the RNC headquarters several years ago.
That incident remains unsolved, as CBS News reported earlier this year:
The individual who investigators say left two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington, D.C., the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attackis still on the loose, and the FBI is offering a $500,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person responsible.
The unsolved mystery continues to elude investigators three years later, even amid a public campaign providing detailed maps, security camera video and potentially identifying information. Investigators made public over two years ago footage showing the suspect walking through the Capitol Hill neighborhood around the time that the devices were believed to have been placed and published photos of the devices and photos and descriptions of some of the apparel the person was wearing.
The FBI says that the unknown individual wore Nike Air Max Speed turf shoes, a face mask, glasses and gloves and a gray hooded sweatshirt.
Here’s some additional coverage of the most recent lockdown:
RNC headquarters in DC on lockdown after ‘vials of blood’ reportedly sent in package
Democrats probably forget their monthly supply of Adrenochrome was being deliveredhttps://t.co/yTQVpDzMBP pic.twitter.com/umenMWYq2u
— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) May 22, 2024
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