Austin bombings suspect, who died after a police confrontation, named as Mark Anthony Conditt

  • The suspect believed to be responsible for a series of bombings in Texas has been killed after a confrontation with Austin's police SWAT team.
  • "The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle," Interim Police Chief Brian Manley told reporters early Wednesday morning.
  • Sources have told NBC News the suspect's name is Mark Anthony Conditt.
Police tape marks off the neighborhood where a package bomb went off on March 19, 2018 in Austin, Texas.
Austin bombing suspect believed dead   

The suspect believed to be responsible for a series of bombings in Texas has been named after he was killed following a confrontation with Austin's police SWAT team.

"The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle," Brian Manley, the city's interim police chief, told reporters early Wednesday morning.

"As members of the Austin PD SWAT team approached the vehicle, the suspect detonated a bomb inside the vehicle, knocking one our squad officers back and one of our squad officers fired at him as well."

Two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation confirmed to NBC News that the suspect's name is Mark Anthony Conditt. Earlier, Manley said the suspect was a 24-year-old white male.

Manley also warned that the community should stay vigilant, suggesting that there could be other suspect packages outstanding.

President Donald Trump tweeted a response soon after the media briefing, praising the police.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen told senators that "although the situation appears to be over, we urge the public to remain alert and report any suspicious activity or packages or devices."

The confirmation from police followed reports early Wednesday morning that the suspect in the Austin bombings was down and "neutralized." An earlier tweet by the Austin Police Department said it was working on an "officer involved shooting" but did not explicitly state that the shooting was related to the bombings.

The incident comes after a series of homemade bombs hit the Texas capital this month, killing two people and injuring several others.

Officials work at the scene where the suspect in a spate of bombing attacks that have terrorized Austin over the past month blew himself up with an explosive device as authorities closed in, the police said early Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
Eric Gay | AP
Officials work at the scene where the suspect in a spate of bombing attacks that have terrorized Austin over the past month blew himself up with an explosive device as authorities closed in, the police said early Wednesday, March 21, 2018.

The first three devices were parcel bombs dropped off in front of homes in three eastern Austin neighborhoods. The fourth went off Sunday night on the west side of the city and was described by police as a more sophisticated device detonated through a trip wire mechanism.

The four devices were similar in construction, suggesting they were the work of the same bomb maker, officials said. In addition, there was also a package bomb that blew up at a FedEx distribution center near San Antonio on Tuesday, but it is still unclear whether it was linked to the Austin bombs. There was also a sixth incendiary device at a Goodwill store in Austin but police are also unsure whether it was related.

The apparent serial bomb campaign has put Austin on edge. The city's NBC-affiliated television station, KXAN, reported that the Austin Police Department said that from 8 a.m. Monday through 8 a.m. Tuesday it received 420 suspicious package calls.

Members of law enforcement stage near the area where a suspect in a series of bombing attacks in Austin blew himself up as authorities closed in, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, in Round Rock, Texas.
Eric Gay | AP
Members of law enforcement stage near the area where a suspect in a series of bombing attacks in Austin blew himself up as authorities closed in, Wednesday, March 21, 2018, in Round Rock, Texas.

Since March 12, police have responded to more than 1,250 calls. KXAN also received reports from viewers about police activity throughout the city and possible suspicious packages.