Austin serial bombings

Austin serial bombings
LocationAustin, Schertz, and Round Rock, Texas, United States
DateMarch 2, 2018 (2018-03-02) — March 21, 2018 (2018-03-21)
Attack type
Serial bombing, murder, Pedicide, attempted murder, murder-suicide, suicide bombing,
WeaponsPackage bombs
Deaths3 (including the perpetrator)
Injured
6
PerpetratorMark Anthony Conditt

The Austin serial bombings were a series of five parcel bomb explosions which occurred from March 2 - 20, 2018 in Austin, Texas, United States. They killed two civilians and the bomber, as well as injuring another six people.

The suspected bomber was Mark Anthony Conditt, age 23, who lived in Pflugerville, Texas, outside Austin.[1]

Background

The Austin Police Department (APD) believe the explosions were connected and considered the possibility that they are racially motivated. They have also warned civilians to not open suspicious packages, and to call the police.[2][3]

Austin police officially connected the March 2 bombing following the bombings on March 12. None of the packages were mailed, instead they were placed near the individuals' homes. Two of the bombs were triggered upon being picked up, another was triggered upon being opened, and the fourth bombing was suspected to be activated by tripwire.[4][5]

On March 2, 2018, 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House was killed by picking up an apparent package bomb at his home.[6] Then, on March 13, 2018, the bombings killed 17-year-old cellist Draylen Mason.[7]

Authorities first offered a reward of $65,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the bomber or bombers. They later raised the reward to $115,000.[8]

Reaction

On March 20, 2018, President Donald Trump said at the White House: "This is obviously a very, very sick individual, or maybe individuals...These are sick people, and we have to find them as soon as possible".[9]

Death of the bomber

Early on March 21, Mark Anthony Conditt was identified by investigators via security footage taken at a FedEx store, and police moved in to make an arrest.[10][11] As SWAT officers approached, he detonated a bomb in the vehicle, killing himself and injuring one of them, prompting other officers to fire upon the vehicle.[12]

List of bombings

No. Date[a] Location Deaths Injuries Type
1 06:55, March 2, 2018 (2018-03-02T06:55) Private residence in Harris Ridge, Austin, Texas 1 0 Package bomb
2 06:44, March 12, 2018 (2018-03-12T06:44) Private residence in East MLK, Austin, Texas 1 1 Package bomb
3 11:50, March 12, 2018 (2018-03-12T11:50) Private residence in Montopolis, Austin, Texas 0 1 Package bomb
4 20:30, March 18, 2018 (2018-03-18T20:30) Near a road in Travis Country, Austin, Texas 0 2 Tripwire-activated bomb
5 00:25, March 20, 2018 (2018-03-20T00:25) FedEx Ground facility in Schertz, Texas 0 1 Package bomb
6 06:19, March 20, 2018 (2018-03-20T06:19)[b] FedEx Ground facility in Austin, Texas Deactivated Package bomb
7 ~02:00, March 21, 2018 (2018-03-21T02:00) Near a road in Round Rock, Texas 1[c] 1 Two package bombs
Notes
  1. ↑ Local time is listed: CST before March 11, and CDT afterwards.
  2. ↑ Approximate time that the device was reported to police.
  3. ↑ The bombing on March 21, 2018, killed Mark Anthony Conditt, the suspected serial bomber. It is unclear if he was killed by his own bomb or by a SWAT officer who shot at his vehicle.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Michael Gold, Who Is Mark Conditt, the Suspected Austin Bomber?, New York Times (March 21, 2018).
  2. ↑ Pearce, Matt; Yamato, Jen (March 13, 2018). "Three package bombings in Texas are linked, police say; two people killed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  3. ↑ Salam, Maya (March 12, 2018). "3 Austin Package Explosions, 2 of Them Deadly, Appear to Be Linked". New York Times.
  4. ↑ Montgomery, Dave; Fernandez, Manny; Haag, Matthew (March 18, 2018). "Austin Struck by Fourth Explosion Only Hours After Televised Appeal to Bomber". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Police aren't ruling out the possibility of a tripwire-type bomb". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on March 19, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Victims of package bomb blasts include father, rising star student". ABC News. March 14, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Austin police identify 17-year-old killed by porch package bomb". CNN. March 13, 2018. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |authors= ignored (help)
  8. ↑ Alejandra Matos, Austin Police increase reward for information in bombings case, Houston Chronicle (March 18, 2018).
  9. ↑ "Trump says 'it's not easy to find' culprit in first public comment on Austin bombings". ABC News. March 20, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  10. ↑ Neuman, Scott (March 21, 2018). "Report: Austin Suspect Kills Himself In Explosion As Police Move In For Arrest". WBUR. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  11. ↑ Walsh, Sean Collins; Osborn, Claire; Plohetski, Tony. "Authorities: Bombing suspect was Pflugerville resident Mark A. Conditt". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  12. ↑ Karimi, Faith; Ryan, Mary Lynn (March 21, 2016). "Austin bombing suspect kills himself with explosive device". CNN. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  13. ↑ Andrew Blankstein; Alexander Smith (March 21, 2018). "Austin bomb suspect blows self up as SWAT team approached". NBC. Retrieved March 21, 2018.