AUSTIN, Texas – It's been 18 days since the start of the Austin serial bombings, and the suspect, Mark Anthony Conditt, is now dead after he was found outside a Round Rock hotel.
As officers surrounded the area to approach the suspect, unidentified at this time, he began driving out of the hotel's parking lot. A little after 2:30 a.m., the suspect drove his vehicle into a ditch on the 1700 block of the North Interstate 35 Frontage Road in Round Rock where he detonated a bomb he had with him inside his vehicle, according to Interim Chief Brian Manley.
Manley said they're unsure if he drove off because he caught wind of the law enforcement surrounding him or if he was en route to disseminating another explosive device.
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At some point, a shot was fired by an Austin police officer. The veteran officer has been placed on administrative duty as is protocol. Additionally, one officer sustained minor injuries from the blast.
Law enforcement officials urge the public should still be vigilant because they do not know what the suspect was doing for the past 24 hours, and the potential for additional explosive devices is possible.
If you see anything in your neighborhood that looks suspicious, officers said you should call 911.
Manley said through information they obtained from Tuesday's incidents, they were able to idnetify the suspect and knew what car he was driving, which enabled them to locate him at the Red Roof Inn in Round Rock.
He also said law enforcement officials withheld descriptions of the explosive devices out of concern that if that information was made public, the suspect would change up his methods.
Manely closed by saying, for those that lost love ones in this, our hearts mourn for you. And we will continue to be with you, to support you in your time of need.
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Since March 2 a total of five explosions killed two people and injured four others.
Timeline of 5 Texas package explosions
The first explosion took place before 7 a.m. on March 2 when a package exploded on the front porch of a house on Haveford Drive, located just east of Interstate 35 in North Austin.
The victim, 39-year-old Stephan House, was taken to St. David’s Round Rock where he died about 8 a.m.
Austin police said the package was left with the intention to hurt or possibly kill someone.
The second explosion took place on March 12 around 6:50 a.m. at a home located on Oldfort Hill Drive, which is near East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in East Austin.
This blast, which occurred in the home’s kitchen, claimed the life of 17-year-old Draylen Mason. The explosion also injured his mother.
Hours later, around noon on March 12, a third package exploded at a home on Galindo Street in East Austin.
A 75-year-old Hispanic woman was severely injured when she picked up a package from her front porch. She was last listed in critical but stable condition at Dell Seton Medical.
The fourth explosion occurred on March 18 around 8:42 p.m. on the 4800 block of Dawn Song Drive.
A 22-year-old man and a 23-year-old man were walking down a neighborhood road when they apparently tripped an explosion.
This explosion differed from the others, because, according to Interim Police Chief Brian Manley, what was most likely a tripwire detonated the device.
Manley urged anyone in the Travis Country neighborhood who may have surveillance footage from Sunday to reach out to APD at 512-974-5210 so that investigators can review it.
A total of 340 special agents are now in Austin investigating.
Austin police continue to say that the incidents appear to be related but couldn’t report if the attacks were random or targeted. Police have not identified a suspect or suspects.
A person is injured after a package en route to Austin exploded at a Schertz FedEx processing plant just after midnight on March 20.
A medium sized package exploded on a conveyer track. Inside the package was metal shrapnel and nails.
WATCH LIVE | Spectrum News , a 24-hour news station, is live from the scene and will continue to be on channels 1, 8 or 200 in Austin and 14 and 200 in San Antonio. Cable subscribers can also watch via the live-stream from your computer, smartphone and our mobile app.