BREAKING UPDATED 6:10 PM: Suspect In The Austin Serial Bombings Dead, Identified
“I think…our community is well aware that it has been a long almost three weeks for the community of Austin as we have dealt with package bombs and other types of bombs that have been placed throughout our community…”
by, Terra Rivers, Managing Editor
6:10 PM
The Austin Police Department and partnering federal and state agencies held a press conference at 6:00 PM on Wednesday. The conference provided the community and public with an update on the investigation into the bombing incidents terrorizing Austin since the beginning of March.
While details of the bombs have not been released still, officials stated there were differences and similarities between all of the devices seen since March 2.
Interim Austin Police Chief Manley said authorities have what he classifies as a confession to the bombings from the deceased suspect; officials found a 25-minute recording on a phone in the suspect’s possession this morning. According to Manley, in the recordings, Conditt describes the six bombs he constructed and identified what the differences in each of the devices were.
According to officials, the suspect does not mention anything about hate or racism in the recording but instead talked about challenges in his personal life that led him to this point.
Manley noted that authorities believe all seven bombs are accounted for and no longer in play. The devices described included the bombs from March 2, 12, 18 and 20, which killed two and injured three, as well as the one that was recovered from the FedEx facility on McKinney Falls Parkway intact yesterday. The seventh device mentioned was the one the suspect allegedly detonated this morning when authorities attempted to approach his vehicle.
Despite law enforcement’s certainty that there are no other devices, Manley said in the times we are in, the community should remain vigilant and report anything they feel is suspicious or out of place.
The investigation remains on-going.
5:11 PM
Austin High School called in a suspicious package today, but the package was cleared within 2 hours, and there was no evacuation. The FedEx distribution center near ABIA that was shut down yesterday because of a suspicious package was evacuated again today after another suspicious package was called in. However, reports say APD cleared the package and announced operations would resume a short time later.
4:36 PM
Officials giving Press Conference now! Police will be shrinking the five-mile perimeter over the next couple hours. ATF and FBI have removed all of the homemade explosives at the house. ATF spokesperson said there were NO completed devices in the house.
Components found in the home are believed to be the same as components of previous bombs. ATF will remain in town until the investigation is over, and the investigation is far from over, according to ATF.
Pflugerville’s police chief, Jessica Robledo, said the 5 mile perimeter around the residence will shrink in the upcoming hours. However, she asked the residents who had been evacuated to be patient and said the city library and activity center will be open until 9 PM if they need a place to go.
Officials found similar components to those used in previous bombs in one room; the room in question was locked. There is still no motive at this time. The residence was located at 403 N. Second Street. Austin PD will hold a press conference for the latest on the case at 6 PM.
ATF and FBI experts were able to reconstruct the devices. They are still analyzing how he learned to make these devices.
4:03 PM
Officials giving Pflugerville Press Conference now! Police will be shrinking the five-mile perimeter over the next couple hours. ATF and FBI said there were NO completed devices in the house.
“Components found in the home are believed to be the same as components of previous bombs. ATF will remain in town until the investigation is over, and the investigation is far from over,” according to lead ATF agent.
3:45 PM
Experts from FBI & @ATFHou working to safely remove/dispose of homemade explosives from 403 2nd St N, Pfulgerville, TX. @Pf_Police and TX DPS evacuated neighbors as precaution. Please avoid area. Agencies are working to mitigate any hazards. #HappeningNow
— FBI SanAntonio (@FBISanAntonio) March 21, 2018
“We’ll be here as long as it takes with our partners to figure out what happened, why it happened, and how it happened. We’re committed to staying here with the #AustinPolice Department for as long as it takes” – SAC Combs https://t.co/heSDakZb81
— FBI SanAntonio (@FBISanAntonio) March 21, 2018
3:09 PM
An aunt of the Austin bombing suspect Mark Conditt read CNN a statement on behalf of her family:
“We are devastated and broken at the news that our family could be involved in such an awful way. We had no idea of the darkness that Mark must have been in. Our family is a normal family in every way. We love; we pray, and we try to inspire and serve others. Right now our prayers are for those families that have lost loved ones, for those impacted in any way, and for the soul of our Mark. We are grieving and we are in shock. Please respect our privacy as we deal with this terrible, terrible knowledge and try to support each other through this time.”
Police have evacuated a six block area around the house Conditt is reported to have owned with his father and lived with two roommates. Police have been interviewing immediate family members and are still looking for a motive; they are still searching his home and the surrounding area for potential explosive devices.
1:43 PM
Austin Police Department just reported they’d detained the bombing suspect’s two roommates. One was questioned and released; the other is still being questioned. Neither are suspects at this time.
12:59 PM
Police report family will release a statement later this afternoon.
11:53 AM:
Pflugerville City Hall is closed as police evacuate the area around Conditt’s home. Residents have been evacuated from downtown Pflugerville west of Railroad and North of Pecan.
8:23 AM:
The Austin Bomber has been identified as 23 years old, Mark Anthony Conditt, who lived in Pflugerville, Texas with two roommates.
Original story published at 6:42 AM
After three weeks, Austin residents may finally be able to take a small sigh of relief.
Around 2:30 AM this morning, the Austin Police Department began the investigation into an “officer involved shooting” off I-35 South near Old Settlers Road in Round Rock.
In a press conference around 5:00 AM, Interim Police Chief Brian Manley confirmed that the suspect in the serial bombings, which had left the Austin community in a state of fear and caution the last three weeks, was deceased.
“I think…our community is well aware that it has been a long almost three weeks for the community of Austin as we have dealt with package bombs and other types of bombs that have been placed throughout our community,” Manley said.
Over the last few weeks, police have been gathering evidence in the hopes of identifying a suspect in the five explosions believed to be the work of a serial bomber.
This morning, Manley said the evidence gathered in the last 24 to 36 hours allowed investigators to identify a person of interest as a suspect in connection with the bombings late last night and early this morning.
Surveillance teams located the vehicle the suspect was known to be driving at a hotel in Round Rock. Multiple officers and federal partners were waiting for the arrival of tactical vehicles when the suspect’s vehicle began to drive away.
Authorities followed the vehicle; the suspect stopped in the bar ditch on the side of the road along I-35 south.
When SWAT officers approached the vehicles, the suspect detonated a bomb inside. One officer was knocked back, and suffered minor injuries. Another officer fired on the suspect.
Manley said the suspect suffered significant injuries from a blast that occurred from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle.
The suspect’s name has not been released until the body has been positively identified by the medical examiner, and next of kin has been notified.
However, the suspect is reported to have been a 24-year-old white male. No information about his residence was released. Officials do not as of yet know what his background or motive is.
Manley said there will be a “lengthy investigation” into the officer involved shooting; the SWAT officer has been working at APD for 11 years and will be placed on administrative duty as per protocol.
“This is the culmination of three very long weeks for our community, and throughout these weeks we’ve talked the importance of remaining vigilant and looking out for each other. I want to continue that message as we stand here this morning though because we don’t know where this suspect has spent his last 24 hours.”
Manley said he still wants the community to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious or out of place to police.
“I again want to thank the tremendous support and participation that we have had from our federal partners,” Manley said. “And since this is still an ongoing investigation, we’re not going to release a lot of the specific details that led to the events that occurred tonight.”
Officials don’t know if the suspect was working alone or if there are others involved in the serial bombings. The investigation remains ongoing and will continue through the upcoming day(s).
Officials said the suspect is believed to be involved with all of the bombing incidents.
“I understand that the investigation is continuing and that everyone deserves to be vigilant and look for things that are out of place,” Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin, said. “But that said, gentlemen, on behalf of an incredibly thankful community; I just want to say thank you and if you would pass that on to the men and women that you work with. Chief Manley, to you and your office, to this army of both neighboring cities and state and federal agencies, thank you.”
“The unprecedented level of cooperation and partnership from the law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level allow each of our agencies to bring a different skill set to bear and identify the subject,” said the lead investigator of the ATF. “I also want to thank the public who continued to support us and send in tips.”
This story will be updated with more statements and information as correct spellings of names are received.
Below is the audio recording of a news conference held by Austin Police Chief, Brian Manley at 5:00 AM on March 21, 2018. Press Conference audio is 15:06 minutes in length.
