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

  • Tradeshow Work Can Be Fun

    While at ISC West last week, I ran into numerous friends and associates all of which was a pleasant experience. The first question always seemed to be, “How many does this make for you?” Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • New Report Says 1 in 5 SMBs Would Be Forced to Shutter After Successful Cyberattack

    Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) play a crucial role in the U.S. economy, making up 99.9% of all businesses and contributing to half of the nation's GDP. However, these vital economic growth drivers face an escalating threat—cyberattacks that could put them out of business. Read Now

  • The Yellow Brick Road

    The road to and throughout Wednesday's and Thursday's ISC West was crowded but it was amazing. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • An Inside Look From Napco at ISC West

    Get a look into the excitement at ISC West 2025 from Napco. Hear from some of their top-tech executives live from the show floor. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • Upping the Ante

    I am not a betting man in terms of cards, dice, blackjack or that wheel with the black marble racing around the circumference of a spinning wheel, but I would bet on the success of ISC West this year. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

New Products

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.