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Austin serial bombings

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jade Phoenix Pence (talk | contribs) at 17:17, 19 March 2018 (→‎Bombings: The race of the victims is irrelevant). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Austin package explosions
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LocationAustin, Texas, United States
DateMarch 2, 2018 (2018-03-02) (first explosion)
March 18, 2018 (2018-03-18) (fourth explosion)
Attack type
Bombings
Deaths2
Injured4

The Austin package explosions are a series of four parcel bomb explosions which occurred starting on March 2, 2018 in Austin, Texas, killing two civilians and injuring another four. The source of the bombs has not been determined.

There has been media speculation that an unfulfilled bomb threat against a musical performance on March 17, for which Austin police have charged a suspect, may be related.[1] Local organizations have said they suspect the bombs were intended to target prominent black families in the Austin area.[2]

Background

The Austin Police Department (APD) believe the explosions are connected and are considering the possibility that they are racially motivated. They have also warned civilians to not open suspicious packages, and to call the police.[3][4] Police are still working to determine the source of the bombs. Over 500 federal agents joined the search, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.[5]

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 inside a victim's home, and the fourth bombing was suspected to be activated by tripwire.[5][6]

Bombings

On March 2, 2018, 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House was killed by picking up an apparent package bomb at his home.[7] On March 12, 2018, two more explosions occurred within hours of one another. The first killed 17-year-old cellist Draylen Mason[8] and injured a woman, and the second severely injured a 75-year-old woman.[9]

On March 18, an apparently tripwire-activated parcel bomb injured 2 men. [10]

Bomb threat at South by Southwest

On Saturday afternoon, March 17, 2018, Live Nation Music, a company organizing events for the South by Southwest film and music festival, received an email threatening that a bomb had been planted by a music venue in the Fair Market neighborhood. Austin Police Department searched the area and found nothing of concern, but a performance by The Roots that afternoon was cancelled by sponsor Bud Light as a security precaution.[11] The cancellation, which was decided upon one hour after the threat was received, was publicized only after the show venue had already started to fill. A second event that evening, featuring Ludacris and other artists, was also cancelled. Police have charged 26-year-old Trevor Weldon Ingram with making a terroristic threat, a third-degree felony, in connection with the email[12]. Police have stated they have not yet determined whether this threat has any connection to the package bombings.[13][14] Police announced they believe there is a "serial bomber" at large and urged the bomber to contact authorities.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ Chow, Andrew R. (March 18, 2018). "Roots Show at SXSW in Austin Is Canceled After Bomb Threat". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  2. ^ Raymond, Adam K. "Austin Package Bombs Appear to Be Targeting Prominent Black Families". Daily Intelligencer. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  3. ^ Pearce, Matt; Yamato, Jen (March 13, 2018). "Three package bombings in Texas are linked, police say; two people killed". latimes.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  4. ^ Salam, Maya (March 12, 2018). "3 Austin Package Explosions, 2 of Them Deadly, Appear to Be Linked". nytimes.com. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Montgomery, Dave; Fernandez, Manny; Haag, Matthew (March 18, 2018). "Austin Struck by Fourth Explosion Only Hours After Televised Appeal to Bomber". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  6. ^ "Police aren't ruling out the possibility of a tripwire-type bomb". statesman. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  7. ^ News, A. B. C. (March 15, 2018). "Victims of package bomb blasts include father, rising star student". ABC News. Retrieved March 19, 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ CNN, Madison Park, Ralph Ellis and Jason Hanna,. "Austin police identify 17-year-old killed by porch package bomb". CNN. Retrieved March 14, 2018. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Ellis, Ralph; Burnside, Tina; Sterling, Joe (March 12, 2018). "Austin package explosions that killed 2 appear connected, police say". CNN. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  10. ^ "Reported explosion in Austin, Texas, injures 2 as serial bomber still at large". Washington Post. March 18, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2018. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  11. ^ Staff, Variety (March 18, 2018). "The Roots' SXSW Concert Canceled Due to 'Security Concern'". Variety. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  12. ^ "Man arrested for bomb threat that shut down Roots concert at South by Southwest in Austin". Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  13. ^ "Man arrested for bomb threat that shut down Roots concert at South by Southwest in Austin". Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  14. ^ "Arrest Made in Fair Market Bomb Threat". Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  15. ^ Herskovitz, Jon (March 18, 2018). "Police suspect 'serial bomber' in deadly Austin attacks". Reuters. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
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