Police in Bangor, Maine aren’t saying much about what happened here (you can watch the press conference for yourself below), only that a “suspicious letter” was found at the home of Sen. Susan Collins a short while ago. From Fox News:

“We are currently on the scene. The investigation is ongoing,” a Bangor Police Department spokesman told Fox News. “The Criminal Investigation Division is working in conjunction with the Bangor Fire Department and local hazmat team from Orono, Maine.”

The spokesman told Fox News that the FBI has been notified, but that the ongoing investigation is being handled by the Bangor Police Department…

A spokesperson for Collins, R-ME, told Fox News that the senator was “on her way home,” but that her husband is at the house.

There was no immediate indication of what first drew authorities to the letter.

Collins’ street is shut down. Here’s what it looks like outside:

Police are at Senator Collins’ home in Bangor after receiving a letter with a suspicious substance on it. @newscentermaine pic.twitter.com/ItPMzqSqoC

— Dan The Camera Guy (@DanTheCameraGuy) October 15, 2018

Officials in hazmat suites, just came out of @SenatorCollins home @FoxABCMaine pic.twitter.com/1Z51daIlTn

— Gina Marini (@ginamarini_news) October 15, 2018

Police tape seen at Senator Susan Collins' Bangor home. https://t.co/moZxlsOw2w pic.twitter.com/vpf2HUxP0h

— NEWS CENTER Maine (@newscentermaine) October 15, 2018

Bangor Police Crime Lab and firefighters are parked on West Broadway near where Sen. Susan Collins lives. Awaiting word about what is happening. PHOTO by David Simpson. pic.twitter.com/FXyaBINYeo

— Nit-Noi Ricker (@MaineNitNoi) October 15, 2018

Bangor PD Bangor fire have closed down Hayward street investigating a possible threat to Senator Susan Collins pic.twitter.com/mmVdY2C4BY

— David Simpson (@vidmandave) October 15, 2018

The hazmat response caught my attention but that may be purely precautionary. Given that we had someone sending letters full of castor seeds (which tested positive for ricin) to the president and Secretary of Defense last week, it’s not surprising they’d be nervous about a stray letter left at Collins’ home.

In the press conference, Bangor police said answers to further questions about the letter would be answered by the Capitol Hill police which suggests this is being treated as some kind of threat connected to Collins job, not a note from a neighbor. If so, it’s not hard to guess why Collins would be a target. She revealed she was receiving death threats in connection with the Kavanaugh confirmation last month.

Here’s a portion of the press conference, if you’re so inclined you can watch the full video here. Again, they really don’t say much. I suspect we’ll learn more about what prompted this response later today. If so, I’ll update this post.

.@BANGORPOLICE address press regarding investigation into a suspicious letter that was sent to the private residence of @SenatorCollins earlier this afternoon. No comment on contents or whether they have a suspect. pic.twitter.com/0w8777i3h1

— Callie Ferguson (@calliecferguson) October 15, 2018