Nassau police say white powdery substance found at Hofstra was harmless

An envelope containing a white powdery substance was found on a vehicle at Hofstra University, according to the Nassau County Police Department.

Police responded to the scene at 3:08 p.m. on Saturday and tested the substance. It was found to be harmless, according to a police spokesperson.

The vehicle belonged to a member of the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity, a university spokesperson said.

The fraternity said in a statement posted to social media Saturday evenign that "threats and acts of violence" are "completely unacceptable."

"We trust that those who put our campus community at harm will be dealt with and remind community members to remain vigilant," the statement read.

Fraternity members did not respond to requests for comment.

The investigation is ongoing, the police spokesperson said.

"Police responded to a report of a suspicious envelope containing a powdery substance, which was determined to be non-hazardous," Terry Coniglio, Hofstra University spokesperson, said in a statement.

Hofstra University's public safety department declined to comment.

No further details were immediately available.

By Joshua Needelman

joshua.needelman@newsday.com

Joshua Needelman covers the Town of North Hempstead for Newsday. A Long Island native and University of Maryland graduate, his work has appeared in publications including The New York Times and The Washington Post.