The Austin bomber is dead. Fox News is reporting that the serial bomber detonated a device, as SWAT teams approached his vehicle .
According to the Statesman, surveillance teams had tracked the bomber to Round Rock, a city near Austin, Texas, using store receipts, cell phone technology, and security footage. A source speaking to CNN , revealed that tactical units followed the suspect as he left a hotel around 3 a.m.
However, when the SWAT teams approached the vehicle, an incendiary device was detonated by the suspect. Sources say the bomber was killed and a SWAT team member injured.
There are reports that a fusillade of gunfire followed the explosion
The Austin Police Department, tweeted that they were working on the I-35 incident and provided no further details. Overhead cameras from flying helicopters, showed that the interstate had been closed to the public in opposing directions.
The explosion and subsequent volley of gunfire came just hours after CBS News showed CCTV footage of the serial bomber in a FedEx office in the south of the city, around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. The grainy images showed a man, wearing a wig, gloves, and delivering two packages to the store.
One of the packages later exploded on a conveyor belt at a FedEx sorting facility outside of San Antonio. The second package was intercepted by law enforcement officials at a facility near Austin airport, and it was confirmed to be concealing a bomb.
BREAKING: Austin bomber “killed” during early morning FBI raid, blew himself up as police closed in https://t.co/TwpGmJMmg8 pic.twitter.com/ttz8eFdw9I
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 21, 2018
Authorities validated that the two packages were connected to four other explosions that killed two people and injured six others.
The first bombing incident occurred on March 2, when a package bomb killed Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old father of one, described as “ humble and self-assured ,” by friends, speaking to KUT .
LIVE: Officials hold news conference after suspected Austin serial bomber believed to be killed after a confrontati… https://t.co/c11jOk9G1Q
— NBC News (@NBCNews) March 21, 2018
On March 12, two more package bombs exploded. One of the bombs killed college-bound Drayeln Mason, 17, and injured his mother as they opened the package inside the kitchen. A few hours later, Esperanza Herrera, 75, was critically injured as a second bomb exploded at her residence.
The first three explosions were not delivered by the US Postal service or services like FedEx or UPS, rather they were left on the doorsteps of the victims. The first three explosions killed or wounded African-Americans and one Hispanic person. This led to allegations that the attacks could have been racially motivated. A fourth blast was recorded in a predominantly white neighborhood and injured two white men , NBC News is reporting.
