Austin serial bombings

The Austin serial bombings were a series of five parcel bomb explosions which occurred from March 2 - 20, 2018 in Austin, Texas, United States. They killed two civilians and the bomber, as well as injuring another six people.

Austin serial bombings
Location	Austin, Schertz, and Round Rock, Texas, United States
Date	March 2, 2018 (2018-03-02) — March 21, 2018 (2018-03-21)
Attack type	Serial bombing, murder, Pedicide, attempted murder, murder-suicide, suicide bombing,
Weapons	Package bombs
Deaths	3 (including the perpetrator)
Injured	6
Perpetrator	Mark Anthony Conditt

The suspected bomber was Mark Anthony Conditt, age 23, who lived in Pflugerville, Texas, outside Austin.^[1]

Background

The Austin Police Department (APD) believe the explosions were connected and considered the possibility that they are racially motivated. They have also warned civilians to not open suspicious packages, and to call the police.^[2][3]

Austin police officially connected the March 2 bombing following the bombings on March 12. None of the packages were mailed, instead they were placed near the individuals' homes. Two of the bombs were triggered upon being picked up, another was triggered upon being opened, and the fourth bombing was suspected to be activated by tripwire.^[4][5]

On March 2, 2018, 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House was killed by picking up an apparent package bomb at his home.^[6] Then, on March 13, 2018, the bombings killed 17-year-old cellist Draylen Mason.^[7]

Authorities first offered a reward of $65,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the bomber or bombers. They later raised the reward to $115,000.^[8]

Reaction

On March 20, 2018, President Donald Trump said at the White House: "This is obviously a very, very sick individual, or maybe individuals...These are sick people, and we have to find them as soon as possible".^[9]

Death of the bomber

Early on March 21, Mark Anthony Conditt was identified by investigators via security footage taken at a FedEx store, and police moved in to make an arrest.^[10][11] As SWAT officers approached, he detonated a bomb in the vehicle, killing himself and injuring one of them, prompting other officers to fire upon the vehicle.^[12]

List of bombings

No.	Date[a]	Location	Deaths	Injuries	Type
1	06:55, March 2, 2018 (2018-03-02T06:55)	Private residence in Harris Ridge, Austin, Texas	1	0	Package bomb
2	06:44, March 12, 2018 (2018-03-12T06:44)	Private residence in East MLK, Austin, Texas	1	1	Package bomb
3	11:50, March 12, 2018 (2018-03-12T11:50)	Private residence in Montopolis, Austin, Texas	0	1	Package bomb
4	20:30, March 18, 2018 (2018-03-18T20:30)	Near a road in Travis Country, Austin, Texas	0	2	Tripwire-activated bomb
5	00:25, March 20, 2018 (2018-03-20T00:25)	FedEx Ground facility in Schertz, Texas	0	1	Package bomb
6	06:19, March 20, 2018 (2018-03-20T06:19)[b]	FedEx Ground facility in Austin, Texas	Deactivated		Package bomb
7	~02:00, March 21, 2018 (2018-03-21T02:00)	Near a road in Round Rock, Texas	1[c]	1	Two package bombs

Notes

1. Local time is listed: CST before March 11, and CDT afterwards.
2. Approximate time that the device was reported to police.
3. The bombing on March 21, 2018, killed Mark Anthony Conditt, the suspected serial bomber. It is unclear if he was killed by his own bomb or by a SWAT officer who shot at his vehicle.^[13]