Evanston Police Probe Unidentified Substance; No Community Threat Found

EVANSTON, IL — Evanston police investigated an unidentified substance that had previously been inventoried by the department, according to information released by the city on Wednesday.

At the request of the Police Department’s Detective Bureau, the Evanston Fire Department conducted precautionary testing at the Police Department on Wednesday evening to determine whether the substance posed a hazard.

The Fire Department reported no adverse readings during that testing, and the city said there is no known threat to the community at this time. Fire personnel wore hazardous materials protective equipment as a precaution because the substance had not been identified.

During the response, access to the area of Elmwood Avenue and Lake Street, along with the immediate area surrounding the Police Department, was temporarily restricted. Those streets have since reopened.

The testing was aimed at assessing possible hazards, but it did not identify what the substance was. The Detective Bureau is now coordinating additional laboratory testing as the investigation continues.

Because the investigation remains ongoing, the city said it is not releasing details about the circumstances of the substance’s recovery or where it was found. No timeline was provided for when those details might become public.