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

  • Creating More Versatility

    Today, AI has become top of mind for most security professionals. It is the topic of conversation in the technology world and continues to transform the way data is used to make important business decisions. Read Now

  • Report: 78 Percent of CISOs Seeing Significant Impact from AI-Powered Cyber Threats

    Darktrace recently unveiled its 2025 State of AI Cybersecurity report. The findings reveal that 78% of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) surveyed say that AI-powered threats are having a significant impact on their organizations, a 5% increase1 from 2024. While an increasing number of CISOs report feeling a significant impact from AI threats, more than 60% now say that they are adequately prepared to defend against these threats, an increase of nearly 15% year-over-year. However, insufficient AI knowledge and skills and a shortage of personnel and talent continue to be listed as the two top inhibitors to a successful defense. Read Now

  • Teaching AI New Tricks

    You have probably heard that AI-enabled security cameras are evolving the role of traditional surveillance cameras, shifting the focus from passive monitoring to active problem-solving and operational insights. AI technology changes fast, so what is new can be considered only news in just a few months. Read Now

  • From the Most Visible to the Less Apparent

    The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) states “There are 16 critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems, and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to the United States that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, and national public health or safety or any combination thereof.” Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.