The man who detonated five bombs in the past 21 days, injuring five people and killing two, has been identified as 23-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt.
Conditt left too many clues with his bombs, leading investigators to the hotel where he was staying. Police tracked Conditt to his hotel just north of Austin in Round Rock, Texas, through the use of receipts, Internet searches, witness sketches and a surveillance video at a FedEx store. The surveillance tape catches Conditt delivering two of his package bombs.
“Police say that they used that (video) as the final piece to put all of this together, really in the past 24 hours,” said Tony Plohetski, an investigative reporter for the Austin American-Statesman.
Early this morning, investigators arrived and surrounded the hotel of Conditt but Conditt escaped and drove off in his vehicle. Just outside of Austin on I-35, Conditt pulled his vehicle over and took his own life; detonating a bomb inside of his vehicle as the SWAT team approached.
“[Conditt] detonated a bomb inside the vehicle, knocking one of SWAT officers back,” said Austin Police Chief Brian Manley.
Although Conditt is now dead, police warn the public to remain cautious of any more bombs and suspicious activity.
“We don’t know where this suspect has spent his last 24 hours, and therefore we still need to remain vigilant to ensure that no other packages or devices have been left throughout the community,” said Manley.