An example of one of the letters. Via NYPD.
A white powdery substance sent to an Upper West Side pre-school was part of what appears to be a larger pattern. The River Park Nursery School at 711 Amsterdam Avenue, near 95th Street, was evacuated around 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday after receiving the substance in an envelope. It wasn’t the only one. Six schools got similar-looking envelopes with a white substance between March 10 and March 19, according to NYPD, which determined that it was non-hazardous.
“In each instance, the material was screened and determined to be non-hazardous,” police said in a bulletin. “Each envelope has a U.S. flag stamp and a handwritten address in block letters.”
“It appears that the motive of the sender is to cause disruption and alarm,” police added.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the NYC Terrorism Hot-Line: 888-NYC-SAFE. Anyone receiving a suspicious should call 911.”
NBC reported that police sources said River Park got two envelopes, and two other Upper West Side schools also got envelopes. The identity of the sixth school has not been reported.
- March 10: Sen. Robert F. Wagner Middle School (Upper East Side)
- March 11: Montclare Children’s School (Upper West Side)
- March 16 and 19: River Park Nursery School (Upper West Side)
- March 18: Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts (midtown)
- March 18: NY Kids Club and New York Preschool (Upper West Side)
Rudolf Steiner School was also mentioned.