Austin bombings: Police hunt for motive as they search home of suspect Mark Anthony Conditt - as it happened

Federal officials believe that are likely no more devices in the public domain

Austin bombings suspect killed after being tracked down by Texas police

The suspect thought to be behind a spate of bomb attacks in Austin, Texas, has been killed in an explosion after being cornered by police.

Police in Texas are hunting for clues as to what drove the unemployed young man to apparently launch a bombing spree that terrorised the region.

While searching for possible accomplices and warning people to be on the alert for suspicious packages, officials said that 23-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt is suspected of posting and triggering the bombs that killed two people and injured six.

The young man ended three weeks of anxiety and violence in the early hours of Wednesday when he blew himself up by the side of a road, apparently detonating a device in his vehicle as authorities closed in on him.

“The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from a blast that occurred from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle,” Austin police chief Brian Manley told reporters on Wednesday.

The suspect lived with two housemates in Pflugerville, a town located 20 miles north-east of Austin. A local politician told a television channel it appeared Conditt had purchased materials to make his bombs from a Home Depot hardware store in Austin.

Reports said among the items he purchased were five signs that read: “CAUTION CHILDREN AT PLAY”. A tripwire bomb that injured two men on Sunday was tied to one of the signs.

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Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the suspect had not served in the military. Although He said his flatmates were cooperating with police.

He said police used mobile traffic data to put the suspect at the site of the explosions around Austin. He said the suspect’s phone number had been used to allow investigators close in on him.

The governor said that as police continued their investigation, people should be on the lookout for anything suspicious.

Throughout the day on Wednesday, police enforced evacuations of homes and businesses around Austin and the town of Pflugerville where the suspect lived in order to search for more bombs.

But federal officials now believe with a “reasonable level of certainty” that there are no more devices “out in the public”.

Key Points

• Police surround home of suspect - named as Mark Conditt - deploying an anti-explosives robot after a search
• Suspect was said to have been homeschooled and was 'quiet'
• Residents told to remain vigilant in case further bombs are 'out there'
• Donald Trump says law enforcement did a 'great job'
• FedEx will scan every package following depot bombing
• Police unable to say whether bomber acted alone

[21 March 2018 22:30 · Steve Anderson]

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