Letter, White Powder Sent To Cherokee County Courthouse Prompts Evacuation

A threatening letter shut down a floor of the Cherokee County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon.

The Sheriff's Office says the letter was opened by a secretary on the third floor of the courthouse, around 3 p.m. The threatening letter, which they say was intended for a district court judge, was accompanied by a white powdery substance.

Deputies evacuated the third floor of the courthouse and all of the proceedings of the district court were postponed for the afternoon.

The powdery substance was tested and determined to be talcum powder, the Sheriff's Office said.

The threatening letter was turned over to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, which is investigating along with CCSO investigators and the District 27 Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.