Anthrax Mention Forces Evacuation at ABC
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NEW YORK (AP) – A letter mentioning anthrax arrived Friday at the Manhattan offices of “Good Morning America,” forcing ABC television officials to close down a portion of their Columbus Avenue location, the network said.
In an e-mail distributed to employees, the network said it immediately notified police and an investigation was launched into the source of the letter. “Out of an abundance of caution we closed down the area around the office, and are awaiting additional information from authorities,” the e-mail said.
No powder accompanied the letter when it arrived at 147 Columbus Ave. on the West Side of Manhattan. The letter was addressed to an ABC employee, said Cathie Levine, a network spokeswoman.
Police responded to the scare, but quickly deemed it a hoax. There were no arrests.
In the weeks after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack, anthrax-laced letters were sent to several targets, including ex-NBC anchorman Tom Brokaw, two U.S. senators and the offices of the New York Post.
