The Arizona Supreme Court experienced an unprecedented security alert after a suspicious package was found in the mailroom, prompting authorities to make an immediate decision to evacuate the building and several nearby government facilities.

Details of the Suspicious Package

The Arizona Department of Public Safety announced that the package was discovered around 8 a.m. on Monday and contained several vials. Preliminary examinations showed that two of them contained homemade explosive material, although the exact nature of the substance was not specified.

Wide Precautionary Evacuation

Based on the potential threat, the buildings of the Arizona courts, the Department of Education, the Attorney General's Office, and the Department of Administration were evacuated as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of employees and visitors.

Suspension of Operations and Building Closure

At the time the package was discovered, the Supreme Court was not in session; however, the building remained closed for several hours while security personnel conducted thorough sweeps and inspections.

Safe Disassembly and Transport

Reports indicated that specialized teams continued their work until late afternoon, with a specialized technician removing the explosive device and placing it inside a designated containment unit before transporting it via an armed convoy to a secure location for detonation and handling according to established procedures.

Testimony from Inside the Court

For his part, the communications director of the Arizona Supreme Court, Alberto Rodriguez, stated that the evacuation decision was surprising to many employees, noting that they complied with the instructions without sufficient knowledge of the nature of the threat. He added that the occurrence of such incidents in the workplace raises concerns, especially when it happens within a high-level judicial institution.

Ongoing Investigations

Authorities have not yet disclosed the party responsible for sending the package or its actual explosive capability, while confirming that no injuries occurred and that investigations are ongoing to uncover the circumstances of the incident.