At a suspected terrorist incident, evidence collection is primarily handled by which entity?

• A. Whoever located the evidence.
• B. the Haz Mat group.
• C. law enforcement.
• D. the Central Intelligence Agency.

Answer: (C)

When a suspected terrorist incident occurs, the lead for gathering and preserving evidence at the scene is law enforcement. They own the crime scene, secure it, document everything, and maintain a strict chain of custody so items collected can be used in legal proceedings. This role includes coordinating with investigators, forensic teams, and other specialists as needed.

Hazardous materials teams focus on safety and hazard control—identifying the material, mitigating risks, decontaminating affected areas, and collecting samples related to the hazardous substance for analysis. They do not take on the overall evidence collection responsibility for the incident’s investigation.

The Central Intelligence Agency is not the on-scene lead for domestic incident investigations; their work is intelligence-focused and typically not involved in front-line evidence collection at a local incident scene.

If someone finds evidence, they should report it to law enforcement, who will determine how to collect and preserve it properly to ensure it remains admissible in court.