Austin Bomber Deceased After Police Tracked Him Down

Austin Bomber Deceased After Police Tracked Him Down

The suspect in the Austin bombings detonated a bomb in his car as officers closed in.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Mar 21, 2018

The suspect in the Austin Bombings is now deceased, according to police, after authorities tracked him to a hotel in Round Rock, Texas, just outside the city of Austin.

Around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, police followed the suspect, identified as a 24-year-old white male, on Interstate-35 and as they closed in on him, the suspect to detonated a bomb in his vehicle killing himself and knocking an officer back. On officer fired his gun and due to standard policies was placed on administrative leave. No one but the suspect was wounded in the explosion.

While police believe the suspect has been neutralized, they are still warning residents in Austin to be vigilant and alert. Austin PD said they do not have any information on where the suspect has been in the last 24 hours and it is likely he left some devices behind. Police were also careful not to confirm if the suspect worked alone or had help.

"As a community, we're just really relieved and just incredibly thankful for this army of law enforcement that has been in our community for the last week or so," Austin Mayor Steve Adler said on "Today."

The capitol city has been on edge for three weeks as several package explosions plagued residents, the latest on Sunday night when two people were injured after riding their bikes past a suspicious package on the side of the road. Police warned residents that the devices were becoming more sophisticated and to call 911 if they saw a box, bag, carton or other storing equipment that seemed suspicious.

Scores of law enforcement helped with the case in Austin as well as in the surrounding areas. The FBI sent 350 special agents to Austin as well as extra bomb squads. Personnel with the Bureau of Alcohol,  Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were deployed to Austin to help, too.

Photo by the Austin Statesman.

 

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.