Update: Suspicious envelope brought to WCSO determined 'not a threat'

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The Washington County Sheriff's Office was on lockdown Wednesday afternoon after a woman brought an envelope with white powder on it and in it into the building.

Capt. Aaron Brensel said the county resident brought in a wrapped envelope and slid it into the front office just before 4 p.m.

“Blair Rescue has been paged and Omaha Hazmat has been requested to see if we can identify the white powder before we open back up again,” Brensel said.

The resident reported they received the envelope in the mail and contacted the sender, who advised them to bring it to the sheriff's office.

Brensel told the Enterprise Thursday morning the contents were not a controlled substance, and it was "neutralized, benign and not a threat."

Brensel, who was not in the building at the time, said Sheriff Mike Robinson ordered the building be locked down. A number of people standing outside the building at 444 S. 16th St. were identified as having exited the building from a different area than the lobby.

Rescue personnel and county personnel could also be seen outside the building.

“(The envelope) was already wrapped. We don't expect it had gone anywhere outside the packaging, but because of what it is, we're not going to move it,” Brensel said.

There were approximately a dozen people in the sheriff's office at the time, and everyone present was notified of the findings.

Brensel said any citizens who receive a suspicious package should not touch nor move the package and call the sheriff's office immediately to come directly to the scene.