Fourth Explosive Package Detonates In Austin, Two Men Injured

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — Emergency crews reported another explosion at an Austin residential neighborhood that led to injuries Sunday evening — the fourth such bombing incident locally in just over two week's time.

Austin-Travis County EMS medics said via Twitter they transported two injured male victims in their 20s from the 4800 block of Dawn Song Drive at around 8:30 p.m. to St. David's South Austin Medical Center for medical treatment. The victims sustained serious yet non-life-threatening injuries but were considered to be in good condition, according to medics.

The area of the latest explosion is in the southwest part of the city amid a neighborhood called Travis Country.

Austin police subsequently confirmed the report in a Sunday evening press briefing, urging residents within a half-mile radius of the site of the site at Dawn Song Drive intersecting with Republic of Texas Boulevard to remain in their homes until Monday morning. At 1:30 a.m., Interim Police Chief Brian Manley provided a second briefing to note stark differences between Sunday's explosion and the previous three.

Sunday's explosive device was likely triggered via a trip wire, whereas the other three packages were detonated after their recipients handled them. The item on Sunday also was left on the side of the road rather than a porch or doorstep of a home as in the previous three cases, Manley added. The victims in Sunday's blast inadvertently triggered the device while bicycling along the street, the interim chief explained.

"It is very possible that this device was activated by someone handling or triggering a trip wire," Manley said Monday morning. He added, however, that this method of detonation would only be confirmed after lab processing later Monday morning.

Despite the different manner in which the latest device was triggered, police continue to investigate under the assumption all four explosions are related, Manley said.

"We do believe, based on what we've seen, that this was a bomb," Manley said in the early morning briefing that took place at around 1:30 a.m. "We are working on the belief that this is related to the other bomb incident that have happened in our community."

But the trip-wire mechanism of Sunday's blast heightens the need for residents to be extra vigilant, Manley noted. Whereas before those receiving unexpected package were simply asked not to handle them, people now are being asked not to even approach such suspicious items given the possibility residents might trip a wire inadvertently and trigger the explosive device.

“That changes things,” Manley said, referring to the triggering device utilized in Sunday's blast. “Our safety message to this point has been involving the handling of packages, and telling this community ‘Do not handle packages, do not pick up packages, do not disturb packages.’ We now need to have an extra level of vigilance and pay attention to any suspicious device, whether it be a package, a bag, a backpack, anything that looks out of place and please do not approach it.”

At Monday morning's press briefing, Manley said residents in the Travis Country neighborhood are being asked not to leave their homes until 10 a.m. to accommodate their investigation. Residents with an emergency need to leave their homes are asked to call 911 so that police are able to escort them out of the neighborhood, Manley added.

Initially, there are unconfirmed reports of two separate explosions from delivered packages on Sunday, but police discounted those initial media reports. On Sunday, Manley said a separate incident centers on an errant backpack near the site that was being assessed as a potential threat.

Local police, along with agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were at the scene throughout the night investigating the latest bombing incident, Manley said. Along with representatives from those law enforcement agencies, Austin Mayor Steve Adler also joined Manley at the Sunday press briefing but made no remarks.

This is the fourth bomb package sent to an Austin home since March 2, a series of explosions that has claimed two lives and injured others. It's unclear if the fourth explosion is connected to the previous ones as police have not identified a suspect in the series of bombings or a motive for the violence.

The fourth bombing on Sunday came on the same day that the Austin Police Department upped the reward for information leading to an arrest to $115,000. Police urge residents not to handle any unexpected packages they might deem suspicious and call 911 immediately. Those with information also can call the police tip line at (512) 472-TIPS (8477), Manley said.

As a result of the bombing, officials at the nearby Regents School of Austin opted to delay classes by two hours and cancel kindergarten classes outright on Monday to allow for a thorough sweep of the campus in safeguarding students and staff against any potential threats. The Christian-based school at 3230 Travis Country Circle situated on an 82-acre campus has more than 1,000 students enrolled in grades K-12.

"Regents School of Austin is aware of the explosion that occurred in the Travis Country neighborhood on Sunday evening and is in proactive communications with the Austin Police Department," officials said on their website. "Classes will be delayed two hours so that a complete security sweep by Regents staff can be accomplished to ensure our students, faculty and staff are safe. We will broadcast any updates to the community via the Regents website homepage, text and email."

School officials provided a breakdown of the delayed classes schedule: "Once again, classes begin at 10 a.m.for grades 1st-6th. Grades 7th-12th begin at 10:15 a.m. Kindergarten classes are cancelled. Gates will be closed until 9 a.m. Faculty and staff will arrive on campus at 9:15 a.m."

Austin ISD will not be able to send buses to the area in transporting students to classes on Monday given the police investigation given the situation, officials said. As a result, student absences or tardiness related to the logistics of negotiating around the expansive crime scene will be excused, Austin ISD officials said.

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>>> Image: Police tape marks off the neighborhood where a package bomb went off on March 19, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Police are investigating the bombing which injured two and is the fourth similar bombing in three weeks in the Austin area. (Photo by Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images)