Suspect in series of Austin bombings blew himself up but police warn he may have left other explosive devices
A law enforcement official identified the dead man as Mark Anthony Conditt, a 23-year-old white man
The suspect in the deadly bombings that terrorised Austin blew himself up early on Wednesday as authorities closed in on him, bringing a grisly end to a three-week manhunt. But police warned that more bombs could be out there.
The suspect’s motive remained a mystery, along with whether he acted alone in the five bombings in the Texas capital and suburban San Antonio that killed two people and wounded four others.
Police zeroed in on the 23-year-old white man in the last 24 to 36 hours and located his vehicle at a hotel on Interstate 35 in the suburb of Round Rock. Officers were waiting for armoured vehicles to arrive before moving in for an arrest when his vehicle began to drive away, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said at a news conference.
Authorities followed the vehicle, which ran into a ditch on the side of the road, he said.
We still need to remain vigilant to ensure that no other packages or devices have been left to the community
When members of the Swat team approached, the suspect detonated an explosive device inside the vehicle, the police chief said. The blast knocked one officer back, and a second officer fired his weapon, Manley said.