CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Chesterfield County magistrate and a Chesterfield Sheriff’s deputy were taken to the hospital after police say they had a reaction to a letter containing a “powdery substance” which was delivered to the Chesterfield Magistrate’s Office.
According to the Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, a “suspicious letter” was received on the morning of Monday, Nov. 11 and was opened by the magistrate, who immediately “started having a reaction.”
Nearby Chesterfield Sheriff’s deputies responded to the office and one of them started to have similar symptoms. Both the magistrate and the deputy were taken to Chippenham Hospital for treatment and have since been released.
Chesterfield County Fire and EMS deployed its HAZMAT Team, who collected the substance from the magistrate’s office and decontaminated the affected areas.
Chesterfield Sheriff’s Office detectives and the Chesterfield Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the incident and the substance has been sent to the Virginia Department of Forensic Science for analysis.
