Austin Package Bomber Blows Self Up in Confrontation With Police

The Austin serial bomber is dead, following a confrontation this morning with police, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.

Austin Police traced the suspect to a hotel in Round Rock, north of Austin, about 2AM.

Austin Police Chief Brian Manley says the suspect did not pursue the chase.

"The vehicle ended up stopping in the bar ditch on the side of the road behind us," he said.  "As members of the Austin Police Dedpartment SWAT Team approached the vehicle, the suspect detonated the bomb inside the vehicle."

Manley says the man was pronounced dead at the scene.  So far, there is no indication of a motive and the man's name has not been released.  He was identified as a 24 year old Anglo man.

Manley said police got a major tip when FedEx confirmed that the suspect had used a mail drop site in Sunset Valley, southwest of Austin, and several photographs of the man were released to the media.

"Beginning within the past 24 to 36 hours, we began getting information on one person of interest that we began to work on and began to develop," Manley said.

Officials say the fact that a bomb that had not exploded was found in a FedEx station in south Austin also helped with the investigation.  The FBI was able to confirm last night that all of the bombs were the work on the same person.

He stressed that Austin residents should not let their guard down, because it is unknown whether the suspect had an accomplice, or whether he had planted other bombs in the hours before he died.

The man is blamed for six package bombs in the past three weeks.  Two people died, and five were hurt, including a woman who was injured when a package bomb exploded in the FedEx station in Schertz early yesterday.

PHOTOS: SPECTRUM NEWS


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