The Metropolitan Police Department has blocked off 19th and E streets in both directions due to a suspicious package that was found in the area Sunday evening.

D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman Vito Maggiolo said the package appeared to be a backpack and other personal items that were left along the sidewalk on the 400 block of 16th Street. An adult man who opened the package experienced “some sort of physical reaction, Maggiolo said.

Maggiolo said that he could not describe what the man’s reaction was, but that it does not appear to be life-threatening. The individual is undergoing examination by emergency responders but has not yet been taken to a hospital.

“The only potential injury is the individual who opened the package and who looked inside the package,” Maggiolo said. “We want to determine what the substance is so we don’t accidentally contaminate the hospital environment.”

A University alert sent at 6:45 p.m. notified students that the roads were closed and advised that they avoid the area.

We will continue to update this post.