Suspicious Package Leads to Evacuation of Texas Capitol Building

On Tuesday, a portion of the state capital building in Austin was evacuated after police were notified of a suspicious package that was sent to a lawmaker’s office.

According to one news source, the package was sent to the office of Representative Matt Schaefer of Tyler, Texas, and came with an equally-suspicious letter. A bomb squad with the Texas Department of Public Safety was reportedly sent to investigate.

But the Texas Tribune reported yesterday that State Representative Poncho Nevárez, a democrat from Eagle Pass, Texas, claims his office was the one to receive the suspicious package, although Nevárez says he was not in Austin at the time.

TxDOT says that some underground offices were evacuated as a precautionary measure, but most of the capital building was kept open, even for tourists. The scene was later re-opened to employees when no viable threat was discovered.