Washington, D.C. – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the following statement after the FBI confirmed that a backpack discovered along a Spokane parade route on Monday contained a “very lethal” bomb which could have caused “multiple casualties:”

“Like everyone in Spokane, I am concerned by the discovery of a bomb in our community, and I strongly condemn the individual or group who is responsible.  We have zero tolerance for violence – or threats of violence – in our society.  We thank the city workers who discovered the backpack and alerted the authorities.  We also encourage anyone with information about the incident to notify the authorities immediately.  While we shouldn’t jump to immediate conclusions, we will continue to monitor the situation closely, and as the investigation continues, the FBI and local authorities have our full support.”

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