Austin Bomber Dead – Detonated Bomb On Himself As Police Closed In

Ken AshfordCrimeLeave a Comment

The suspect in a spate of bombings that terrorized residents of Austin, Texas, died early Wednesday after detonating an explosive inside his vehicle as a SWAT team tried to apprehend him on the side of a highway, officials said.

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.

Police were able to locate Conditt using a variety of tactics, including cellphone triangulation. Surveillance footage taken at an Austin FedEx was also used to apprehend him.

Authorities shared the surveillance footage showing a man believed to be Conditt entering a FedEx facility wearing what appeared to be a blonde wig and dropping off a package.

Early Wednesday, police tracked Conditt’s 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.

He was identified as Mark Anthony Conditt. It is unknown if he was acting alone.

“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.”