3 hospitalized after state government offices receive suspicious packages in

He did not say how many packages were received or which government buildings received them. Hazardous materials teams and investigators responded to the incident.

The Oregon State Police along with other law enforcement agencies are investigating suspicious letters and packages – some containing “an unknown substance” – sent to government offices across the state, the police department says in a statement.

Portland television station KATU quoted U.S. Postal Inspector Jeremy Leder as saying it’s “very likely” the mailings are related and that more letters could arrive at new locations on Wednesday.

“We’ll be a little behind in our work, but everyone’s OK right now, and that’s the important thing, and we’ll carry on”, Captain Nathan Sickler, with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, said.

More than half of Oregon’s county sheriffs may have received suspicious letters in the mail and at least one sheriff was hospitalized for observation after being exposed to a potentially toxic substance, sources said on Monday.

“I will tell you that the message in the letter was hard to understand”, Ray said.

The East Oregonian newspaper of Pendleton reported that Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer was taken to a hospital in the early afternoon after he opened the envelope that was addressed to him.

Lt. Steve Alexander said the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office did not get an envelope of this nature.

Leder said he couldn’t comment on the content of the letters.

A news release from Oregon State Police reminds people to be cautious when receiving a suspicious package or mail that has excessive postage, no return address, excessive tape to secure parcel, misspelled words, misspelled title with name, incorrect or title only, unusual odors, oily stains, discoloration and/or crystallization on packing.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is now assisting in the investigation.

Wasco County deputies said the courthouse in The Dalles also was evacuated due to a suspicious letter.