Powder sprinkled at New York opera possibly... human ashes

NEW YORK -- Police say a powdered substance that was sprinkled into the orchestra pit at New York's Metropolitan Opera may have been an opera lover's ashes.

New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner John Miller says a man attending Saturday afternoon's performance of "Guillaume Tell" told witnesses he was there to sprinkle his mentor's ashes.



Met officials stopped the performance after the man sprinkled the substance into the pit during the second intermission. They also canceled an evening performance of a different opera.

Miller says the powder will be tested.

Miller says police know who the man is and are reaching out to him.

He says disposing of ashes in an opera house may violate the city health code. But he says police don't see "any criminal intent here."