It’s business as usual again at the U.S. Naval Academy after authorities determined a suspicious package wasn’t dangerous.
Initially authorities thought that the envelope was in the Bancroft Hall mailroom, but it was instead found Tuesday morning in a room inside of Mitscher Hall, which is part of the larger Bancroft complex.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents, security personnel from Naval Support Activity Annapolis and the City of Annapolis HAZMAT team responded at the scene.
They quarantined five Naval Academy personnel who came into close contact with the envelope until the contents were determined not to be harmful, according to a written statement sent to Navy Times by the Naval Academy’s director of media relations, Jennifer M. Erickson.
She did not know what substance was in the envelope but said the “scene is now clear and HAZMAT and fire teams have been released.”
The “envelope had tape on the outside and all four corners and felt like it may contain an unknown substance and had suspicious writing on the outside,” Erickson said.
Less than half of the academy’s brigade of midshipmen is on campus. Most midshipmen are away on summer training or leave for the next two weeks.
The plebe class and their Plebe Summer detailers, however, were ordered to stay clear of the area until authorities said it was safe to return.
Prine came to Navy Times after stints at the San Diego Union-Tribune and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He served in the Marine Corps and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. His awards include the Joseph Galloway Award for Distinguished Reporting on the military, a first prize from Investigative Reporters & Editors and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
