Fourth Austin explosion possibly detonated by tripwire, leaving 2 injured, police say

[Dystemper]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.060c8a92a666

AUSTIN — Police in Austin said an explosion in a residential neighborhood Sunday night appeared to be related to the three bombs that detonated earlier this month, plunging the Texas capital further into a frightening mystery that forced residents to remain locked in their home as investigators scoured the area for answers.

The blast Sunday, which injured two men who were riding bicycles through a residential area, was the latest in a string of explosions to rock Austin, which has been on edge since the previous bombings killed two people and seriously injured a third. Authorities have seemed at a loss to explain who could be setting off these devices or why, saying only that the bombs were sophisticated and could have been motivated by racial bias, although they acknowledged that this remains only a theory.

This latest explosion injured two men in their 20s in the southwest portion of Austin. While the previous blasts all involved packages left at homes, this explosive was on the side of the road and possibly triggered by a tripwire, said Brian Manley, the interim Austin police chief.

This fourth explosion went off in the southwestern part of the city, far from the first three, and police said Monday that the two men injured were both white. They were taken to the hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries, officials said, and the hospital said they were in good condition.

Still, police said they were still considering whether at least some of the bombings could have been a hate crime.

“We’ve said from the beginning that we’re not willing to rule anything out, just because when you rule something out you limit your focus,” Manley said in an interview Monday with ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “This does change the concerns that we had initially, although we have still not yet ruled it out until we understand what the ideology or motive is behind the suspect or suspects.”

Manley said in the interview that police do not have any specific evidence leading them to a particular suspect, and he reiterated his plea to the public for tips and information.

Authorities have described the explosives as the sophisticated work of a person or people who know what they are doing, saying that the bombers have been able to assemble and deliver these packages without setting them off at any point. Manley said the explosion Sunday night suggested that the bomber is even more proficient than authorities feared.

“If this explosion last night was the result of a bomb that was utilizing tripwire technology, that is showing a different level of skill, above what we were already concerned that this suspect or suspects possess,” Manley said.

[ The unique terror of Austin’s deadly package bombs ]

Austin Mayor Steve Adler said that while the initial concern after the first bombings focused on packages left on doorsteps, Sunday night’s explosion caused officials to cast a wider net.

“We understand the anxiousness that we all feel, but there is just an army of law enforcement personnel working on this at this point,” he said Monday in a telephone interview with The Washington Post

Adler said that “with each additional event, the horrible part is that people are getting hurt.” But, he added, “it also means that law enforcement folks get additional forensic evidence.”

The fourth explosion went off just hours after the Austin police made a public appeal in the case, increasing the reward for information to $100,000 and addressing the bomber or bombers in particular.

“These events in Austin have garnered worldwide attention,” Manley said during the earlier announcement. “And we assure you that we are listening. We want to understand what brought you to this point, and we want to listen to you.”

After Sunday’s explosion, Manley urged residents in the surrounding neighborhood to remain in their homes while investigators continue to probe the area. Because of the darkness, he said, police may not know until after sunrise whether other suspicious devices were left in the neighborhood. He said that people who needed to leave their homes should call 911 for an escort.

“Given the darkness, we have not really had the opportunity to really look at this blast site to determine what has happened,” Manley said at a news conference late Sunday. “It’s obvious there’s been an explosion; it’s obvious it caused significant injures to two people, and it is important right now for anyone in the neighborhood behind us to remain inside and give us time to work through this.”

Manley also said that officers were working to clear a backpack left in the area. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also on the scene, and Manley said more than 500 officers have followed up on 435 leads and have conducted 236 interviews. None have resulted in a suspect so far.

Steve Brown, 53, had gone out to dinner Sunday and was returning home when he saw the police tape.

“It’s kind of surreal,” he told The Washington Post. “It had been on the other side of town — now it’s on our street.”

He said his 80-year-old mother-in-law was at home and told them she heard a “boom.”

Early Monday, the Austin Independent School District announced on Facebook that it was keeping school buses out of the neighborhood and would be excusing any related tardiness or absences. Regents School of Austin, a private Christian school near the neighborhood where the explosive went off, said class would begin later Monday before ultimately canceling school.

After the first explosion on March 2 killed Anthony Stephan House, police said initially described it as an “isolated incident.” However, when two more bombs exploded 10 days later, police reversed course and said they believed all three were related.

The first blast on March 12 killed Draylen Mason, a high school senior well known for his love of music, playing everything from funk to mariachi to classical music. The second bomb that day critically wounded Esperanza Herrera, who was visiting her mother’s house where the package was delivered.

At least two of the victims of the bombings have had an connection, though its significance was not immediately clear. House’s stepfather, Freddie Dixon, told The Post last week that he is close to Mason’s grandfather, Norman Mason. They were fraternity brothers, and Norman Mason also attended the church where Dixon was once a pastor, Dixon said.

Dixon said he did not think the connection was a coincidence.

“Somebody’s done their homework on both of us, and they knew what they were doing,” he said, adding that he believed the explosions were possibly a hate crime or the result of a vendetta.

Authorities have said they do not think the bombings were connected to the South by Southwest festival, though fears from these explosions creeped into the event, with a bomb threat forcing the Roots to cancel a concert they were going to hold Saturday night. Police said they arrested a 26-year-old Trevor Weldon Ingram in connection with that threat.

Flynn and Berman reported from Washington. Moravec reported from Austin. This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.

[Everwake]

Let's do some guessing. My guess is that this is a white male in his 40s or 50s, probably one of those survivalist/militia types. Maybe he has a grudge against minorities, or against America in general.

[Sage89]

Let's do some guessing. My guess is that this is a white male in his 40s or 50s, probably one of those survivalist/militia types. Maybe he has a grudge against minorities, or against America in general.

The first 3 were on the east and this one was on the west side hurting 2 white males.

[Deleted]

Seems like whoever did this went through a lot of trouble in a country where it's easy to just get a rifle and shoot someone.

Guess he/she/they wanted to send a message.

[Rustedsaint]

Well atleast no one died this time hopefully they’ll find this douche before someone else sufferers.
If we playing the blame game thou, I’m Gona bet on a black woman trying to fight against the patriarchy and the wage gap

[melodramocracy]

Seems like whoever did this went through a lot of trouble in a country where it's easy to just get a rifle and shoot someone.

It's almost as if folks who want to do bad things will find ways to do them, regardless of weapon availability or legality.

[Crissi]

Already a thread here: https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...uthwest-Austin

Also, do not turn it into another gun debate thread