Austin Serial Bombing Suspect Killed in Explosion as Police Closed in on Him

Erik Rosales : Mar 21, 2018
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FBI and ATF agents are now searching the suspect's home.

(Austin, TX)—[CBN News] CBN News has confirmed with Austin Police that the bombing suspect who terrorized the city killed himself with an explosive device after being confronted by police early Wednesday morning. (Screengrab: Surveillance cameras helped lead police/ATF to suspect/via MSNBC)

The dramatic confrontation comes after a serial bomber struck in the Texas capital in a bombing spree that lasted several weeks, killing two people and wounding at least four others in a series of blasts.

"The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle," Interim Police Chief Brian Manley told reporters.

"As members of the Austin PD SWAT team approached the vehicle, the suspect detonated a bomb inside the vehicle, knocking one of our squad officers back and one of our squad officers fired at him as well."

Manley told reporters the suspect had not been positively identified as of yet, but they revealed he was a 24-year-old white man.

He said authorities do not know the motive for the bombings.

Police sources tell CBN News authorities tracked the suspect and had zeroed in on him in the last 24 to 36 hours. They located him at a hotel on Interstate 35 in the Austin suburb of Round Rock.

As Austin SWAT team members were moving in, the suspect began to drive away. Then he detonated a bomb inside his vehicle as an officer fired a shot.

FBI and ATF agents are now searching the suspect's home.

The FBI is warning the Austin community to stay vigilant, suggesting there could be other explosive packages yet to be discovered.

During his terrorization of the Austin area, the bomber deployed four bombs that exploded. And a fifth parcel bomb detonated at a FedEx distribution center near San Antonio early Tuesday.