Wow, huge news breaking out of Austin, Texas as it appears the suspect in a string of bombings has been killed in a gun battle with police.
Austin ABC affiliate KVUE-TV has the stunning story this morning, reporting that law enforcement has confirmed the suspect was killed, following law enforcement tracking him down, and a subsequent face off with FBI and/or police.
BREAKING: Bombing suspect is dead, law enforcement sources confirm.
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) March 21, 2018
Here is the relevant police report tweet:
APD is working an Officer Involved Shooting in the 1700 block of N. IH-35. Media staging area will be at the Sherwin Williams Paint, 3321 N. IH-35. APD PIO will be en-route.
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 21, 2018
The FBI was attempting an arrest when the suspect detonated the device he had on him…
BREAKING: APD, FBI arresting suspect in Austin bombing. Suspect detonated device, shots were fired. #AustinBomber #austinPD #kvue
— Kris Betts (@KrisB_KVUE) March 21, 2018
And that’s when the gunfire started. It is unclear if the suspect was already dead from his own device when the shooting began. Here’s more from affiliate WFAA-TV.
#BREAKING: The suspect in the #AustinBombings has been killed after FBI, Austin police tracked him down and engaged him in Round Rock within the last hour, according to state law enforcement officials. A device detonated –which they expected when they pursued him. Then shots.
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) March 21, 2018
We will update you as the information becomes available.
UPDATE: This is interesting.
BREAKING: Officials say police traced suspect using mix of cell phone technology, security video, store receipts.
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) March 21, 2018
UPDATE: (5:05 am)
According to KVUE, the man was identified in surveillance video at a South Austin FedEx Office store on Brodie Lane dropping off two packages, one of which was intercepted at a FedEx facility near the Austin airport, and the other which exploded on a conveyor belt at a FedEx sorting facility in Schertz, north of San Antonio.
Law enforcement used the surveillance video, store receipts, and cell phone technology to identify the suspect and track him to a hotel in Round Rock in Williamson County, just north of Austin.
Multiple local Austin media sources are now stating that he did indeed die from the detonation of his own device.
UPDATE: (5:30 am)
WFAA reports that law enforcement, having ID’d him through the FedEx packages, were already closing in before the unrelated Goodwill incident last night. They were planning to surprise him, which they did when confronting him overnight at Round Rock.
By all accounts, the FBI and police did an outstanding job here. WFAA’s Jason Whitely said it best:
For the first time in weeks, Austin will wake up with a sense of relief this morning – the serial bomber is dead, killing himself after FBI, police closed in this morning in Round Rock, Texas.
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) March 21, 2018
Amen.
UPDATE: (5:54 am) The AP is being VERY cautious with the reports from the local reporters.
BREAKING: Austin newspaper cites unidentified high-ranking law enforcement official saying bombing suspect blew himself up.
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 21, 2018
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