The Austin Bomber Has Been Stopped

[Content Note: Terrorism; eliminationist violence; self-harm.]

After five bombings around or destined for Austin, the suspect in the bombings was identified by federal agents from surveillance footage at FedEx, who then obtained a search warrant which in turn led them to receipts for bombmaking supplies and a suspicious Google search history. The suspect was located using cell phone data, was pursued by police, and then detonated an explosive inside his vehicle on the shoulder of a highway, killing himself and causing minor injuries to a SWAT team officer.

Although I never hope for or celebrate anyone's death, I am hugely relieved for the residents of Austin that this horrific period of terror is (presumably) over. Authorities have cautioned more packages may yet be undetonated, and naturally investigators will have to determine if the deceased suspect was working alone.

As most of us probably assumed, given the nature of the attacks and the intended victims of the early bombings, the suspect was a white man, whose identity has not been disclosed.

Authorities had tracked the suspect — a 24-year-old white man — to a hotel in Round Rock, a city in the Austin metropolitan area, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said at a news conference.

They tracked his vehicle until he pulled over on Interstate 35 and "the suspect detonated a bomb inside the vehicle, knocking one of our SWAT officers back," Manley said, adding that the officer sustained minor injuries.

Another member of the SWAT team fired and, as is standard practice, has been placed on administrative duty while the investigation continues, Manley said.

"The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from a blast that occurred from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle," he added.

...Even though the suspect is dead, officials warned locals to keep on the lookout for other possible explosives.

"This is the culmination of three very long weeks for our community," Manley said. "We don't know where the suspect has spent his last 24 hours, and therefore we still need to remain vigilant to ensure no other packages or devices have been left in the community."

ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski told reporters that officials were "concerned that there may still be other devices out there."

I'm sure the investigation will tell us something more about the motive of this terrorist, who will almost certainly continue to not be called a terrorist by the Trump administration.

UPDATE: Authorities have released the identity of the deceased bombing suspect: Pflugerville resident Mark A. Conditt, who was 23, not 24 as originally reported.