In Washington state, a courtroom evacuation took place on Thursday involving nearly two dozen individuals after a piece of evidence with fentanyl residue was opened, prompting a hazardous materials alert.
The event occurred at approximately 11:55 a.m. within a second-floor courtroom at the Snohomish County Courthouse in Everett, as reported by the Everett Fire Department.
An evidence envelope, initially believed to contain a scale, was opened during court proceedings and subsequently tested positive for fentanyl residue. The reason for opening the envelope during the trial remains unknown.
“One person thought they saw a small powder that seemed to come off the scale,” said Rachael Doniger from the Everett Fire Department during an interview with KOMO.
Fire department crews swiftly responded to the courthouse following the exposure of fentanyl residue during an ongoing trial. (Source: Everett Fire Department Facebook)
As a precautionary measure, all courtroom attendees were moved to the fourth floor of the courthouse for medical evaluations. Emergency crews assessed vitals, blood pressure, and monitored for overdose symptoms such as unconsciousness or breathing difficulties, according to officials.
“No one showed any symptoms or was taken to the hospital,” Doniger said, adding that all individuals were released to go home.
The second-floor courtroom was shut down by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office while a specialized hazmat team cleaned and secured the area.
A courtroom was evacuated and evaluated for fentanyl exposure, prompting a hazmat response from Everett Fire. (Everett Fire Department Facebook)
The unusual incident raised questions about how drug evidence is handled inside courtrooms.
Mark Lindquist, the former district attorney for Pierce County and a former trial chief of the Pierce County Drug Unit, told KOMO he had never heard of a courtroom being cleared over potential drug exposure.
“Either somebody dropped the ball here or a rule needs to be changed,” Lindquist said.
Authorities closed a second-floor courtroom at the Snohomish County Courthouse while a hazmat team cleaned the area after suspected fentanyl exposure. (Everett Fire Department Facebook)
He added that drug paraphernalia should be securely stored in an evidence room and questioned why photographs were not used during the Snohomish County trial instead of the physical scale.
“This is the first time I’ve ever heard of a courtroom being cleared because of potential exposure to drugs,” Lindquist said. “And it highlights why prosecutors use pictures rather than the actual drug.”
When asked whether an investigation was underway, the Superior Court told KOMO it is looking into all the circumstances and reviewing policies and procedures to prevent something similar from happening again.
“We take all matters impacting staff and court users very seriously, especially with regard to the spaces in which the public frequently occupies,” a statement from the court said. “We are committed to taking all steps necessary to make sure events like this don’t happen again, including examining policies and procedures and working collaboratively with stakeholders.”
Officials said the exact quantity of fentanyl residue involved remains unknown. There was no visible plume or indication of a significant airborne release.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
