Photo courtesy of ABC.
Summary: There have been a string of bombings in Austin, Texas that may be targetting African-Americans, officials say.
On Sunday evening, two victims were injured after setting off a tripwire in Austin, Texas. According to ABC News, the bombing is part of a series of explosions, and it has heightened “anxiety in the Texas capital for residents and investigators alike.”
On Sunday, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley urged the person or people behind the recent attacks to turn themselves in, and hours later, the tripwire was detonated.
Today, Manley met with the press again, and he revealed that the two latest victims were walking on a sidewalk in Austin when they stepped or kicked a tripwire, which detonated an explosive device near a fence. The Police Chief said that the victims, 22 and 23, were at the hospital in stable condition.
Authorities said that three other explosions have occurred prior to Sunday’s bombing, and so far, two have died earlier this month and two others were injured. The previous explosions were package bombs, and Manley said that Sunday’s tripwire shows the suspect or suspects were more sophisticated with their weapons knowledge than previously thought.
Police describe the bombings of the work of a “serial bomber,” and they are offering $115,000 for information leading up to the arrest.
Manley said that Sunday’s victims were white and the previous victims were black or Hispanic. He said that race could be a factor in the bombings, but that the police are still searching for a motive.
“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 on “ABC World News Tonight.” “So this does change the concerns that we had initially although we have still not ruled it out until we understand what the ideology and motive is behind the suspect or suspects.”
On Sunday, Manley told the residents of Austin to stay inside their homes until police made sure the area was safe. He also urged people to report tips to the police.
“That’s why we’re pushing the message out there that we need every tip, every piece of information however inconsequential you may think it is,” Manley said. “We want to put out the message that we’ve been putting out and that is, not only do not touch any packages or anything that looks like a package, do not even go near it at this time.”
Since the explosions began, Manley said the police department has received hundreds of reports of suspicious packages and that the police have interviewed 236 interviews and responded to 435 leads.