03-19-2018, 11:48 AM (This post was last modified: 03-19-2018, 11:48 AM by BIAD.)
Quote:Texas explosions: New Austin blast 'may be tripwire-activated'.
'Police in Austin, Texas, have warned the public that a fourth explosion there may pose a new threat. They said they were investigating reports the explosion, which injured two people, was activated by tripwire.
Three parcel bombs left on doorsteps have killed two people and injured two others since early March. The police they say they are working under the belief that the explosions are connected. They warned people in the area to remain indoors.
The latest blast came hours after officials announced a new $100,000 (£71,000) reward for information. The cash reward is on top of an existing $15,000 being offered by the state's governor.
The two men killed earlier this month were African Americans and police have not ruled out racism as a possible motive. Austin police chief Brian Manley gave an early morning press briefing to warn of the possibility of a different style of attack.
He said: "It is very possible this device was activated by someone either handling, kicking or coming into contact with a tripwire.
"That changes things in that our safety message has been about the handling of packages. We need the community to have an extra level of vigilance and pay attention to any suspicious device. Do not approach it. Call 911."
He added: "We do believe that this was a bomb that exploded, but it was not similar to previous explosions. We are working under the belief they are connected but we have not processed the scene." Work at the scene will take place after dawn.
The two people hurt in the blast have been treated for non-life threatening injuries. Mr Manley earlier said he believed the attacks were "meant to send a message". He said authorities could not confirm whether a specific ideology was behind the attacks, but appealed to those behind the bombings to contact authorities directly.
Hundreds of federal agents are helping local police, but there has been no arrest. Authorities say they have responded to 735 reports of suspicious items since last Monday.
The first bomb exploded on 2 March, killing Anthony Stephan House, 29, at his home. Two more bombs exploded 10 days later, and were linked to the initial blast. Draylen William Mason, 17, was killed when he brought a package inside his home. The explosion also critically injured his mother.
Hours later a 75-year-old Hispanic woman was injured by another package. Local media reports this may have been intended for someone else.
The local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) president Nelson Linder told NBC news that the two murdered victims had links to local prominent African-American families and were connected by the same Methodist church.
Investigators say the devices were being left on doorsteps overnight, not being delivered by official methods. With the city on high alert, a concert by hip-hop band the Roots was cancelled on Saturday after organisers received a bomb threat via e-mail.
They were due to perform at the city's South by Southwest festival, known as SXSW. A 26-year-old was later arrested, but police have ruled out any link to the package bombs...'
03-20-2018, 11:20 AM (This post was last modified: 03-20-2018, 11:26 AM by BIAD.)
Just in, Tuesday morning 10.20 GMT. 20th March.
Quote:Device explodes in FedEx building outside San Antonio, police say.
'A device exploded early Tuesday at a FedEx ground distribution facility in Texas, police said. Schertz police Lt. Manny Casas said a medium-sized box was on the conveyer belt when the explosion occurred. Casas said a woman was treated for a “possible sound injury” and was released.
It was unclear what was in the package.
Casas asserted that it was too early to connect the explosion to the four explosions that have plagued Austin the last few weeks. He said the main concern was to make sure “everyone is OK.”
Schertz is located 22 miles east of San Antonio and 73 miles south of Austin...'
Quote:Explosion rattles shipping facility near San Antonio, days after Austin bombings.
'An explosion has taken place at a mail facility near San Antonio, Texas, just two days after a bomb went off in Austin, Texas -the fourth such bombing in the city this month.
According to Schertz police, the explosion took place at a FedEx distribution facility in Schertz, Texas, just after midnight on Tuesday. Schertz is about 65 miles southwest of Austin.
According to police, who spoke with San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT, a medium-sized box exploded at the facility. One worker possibly suffered minor injuries in the explosion. They were not taken to the hospital, the official said. There were 75 people in the building at the time of the explosion.
Police said they "hope" this is an isolated incident and do not yet know if it is connected to the Austin bombings. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are responding to the scene, sources told ABC News.
Austin has been on edge for a month after a series of bombings which killed two and injured four people. The first three bombings were packages, apparently hand delivered police said, that exploded after being picked up by residents at the homes.
The fourth explosion took place Sunday night. Two men in their 20s were injured in that explosion, which was caused by a device using a trip wire on a sidewalk in the city's Travis Country neighbourhood...'
03-20-2018, 03:35 PM (This post was last modified: 03-20-2018, 03:37 PM by BIAD.)
Aaaannd another one.
Quote:Fifth explosion in Texas as serial bomber hunted.
'A package containing nails and shrapnel exploded at a FedEx distribution centre -the latest blast to hit the US state in March. Texas has been hit by its fifth explosion this month as police hunt a suspected serial bomber.
A FedEx worker was injured after a package containing nails and shrapnel blew up at a distribution centre in the San Antonio town of Schertz.
The package had reportedly been bound for Austin -the state capital where a series of blasts in March has so far killed two people.
On Sunday, two men, aged 22 and 23, were seriously injured in an explosion involving a tripwire device.
The FedEx employee is believed to have suffered non-life threatening injuries in the latest incident, which happened at about midnight local time. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating...'
03-21-2018, 02:49 PM (This post was last modified: 03-21-2018, 02:49 PM by BIAD.)
Quote:Austin bombing suspect, 24-year-old man, dies as police close in, chief says.
'The suspect in a string of bombings in Austin is dead, interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley confirmed early Wednesday.
Officials investigate near a red vehicle believed to be that of the Austin bomber on I-35 in Round Rock on Wednesday March 21, 2018. The name of the suspect, described only as a 24-year-old white man, has not been released, pending notification of his family, Manley said.
Although police are still investigating the possibility of accomplices, he said, “we believe this individual is responsible for all of the incidents in Austin.”
Manley urged the community to remain vigilant for possible other explosives, adding that “we do not know where (the suspect) has been in the past 24 hours.” Police have not identified a motive for the string of bombings, Manley said.
Investigators identified several leads but the case really broke in the past 24 to 36 hours, the chief said. He described how authorities tracked down the suspect’s vehicle to a Round Rock-area hotel. Police began following the suspect’s vehicle, and as SWAT approached, the suspect detonated a bomb in the car, Manley said.
Manley said an officer had fired at the suspect, and another officer who was knocked back by the blast was treated for minor injuries.
Fred Milanowski, special agent in charge with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said authorities “know when he bought some of the components ... It was fairly recently.” “Fortunately we were able to do some digging and find this individual over the past 48 hours,” Milanowski said. He described the device used in the car as a "significant explosive device," but did not provide any other details.
Milanowski said the suspect was in the parking lot of the hotel, which had been swept by technicians and bomb-detection dogs. “We are fairly comfortable there is (no threat) out in the open there,” he said, but he did not confirm whether the suspect was staying in the hotel.
Malinowski also commended the collaboration among all the law enforcement elements involved. “We've had serial bombing cases in the past 20 years so law enforcement has gotten better but really it was the partnerships that came together,” he said. “Everyone was dedicated. There were people that were working 17 hours a day because they wanted to catch this person.”
Four bombs had exploded in Austin since March 2, killing two men and injuring four people. A fifth bomb exploded early Tuesday at a FedEx sorting facility in Schertz, about 60 miles southwest of Austin. A package containing what was believed to be an unexploded bomb was found Tuesday at a FedEx distribution center in Austin. Authorities believe the FedEx packages were sent from the FedEx retail store in Sunset Valley.
News of the suspect’s death generated expressions of relief and congratulations. Austin Mayor Steve Adler, who appeared with Manley when he made his remarks early Wednesday, commended law enforcement for their efforts. Adler also said that after spending time in neighborhoods where the bombs were detonated, he hopes that Austin can come together to form stronger community ties.
“As a community we need to do a better job of knowing the people that live across the street,” he said. “If there’s a takeaway from this, it’s that we can be and should be a better community if we get to know each other better.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted, “BIG NEWS. The Austin Bomber is dead,” before adding that “more work needs to be done to ensure no more bombs had been sent before he died.” “The investigation continues to learn more information,” Abbott wrote. “Congratulations to the combined law enforcement effort.”
The governor also appeared on Fox News and reiterated warnings to residents that “we don’t know if there are any other bombs out there and if so how many or where they may be … So everyone needs to be remaining vigilant.”
President Donald Trump’s first tweet of the day on Wednesday was congratulatory as well: “AUSTIN BOMBING SUSPECT IS DEAD. Great job by law enforcement and all concerned!”...'
03-21-2018, 10:05 PM (This post was last modified: 03-21-2018, 10:11 PM by BIAD.)
Update:
Quote:'...Authorities have not released the suspect's name, but a law enforcement official who was briefed on the investigation identified him as Mark Anthony Conditt.
Authorities say Conditt blew himself up overnight as a SWAT team approached his SUV in a motel parking lot outside of Austin...'