UPDATE: 8:18 p.m. EST: The Austin Fire Department is reporting another package explosion with one injury in the 9800 block of Brodie. A hazmat task force is responding and crews are evacuating a building. (link)

Authorities are acknowledging a serial bomber in/around the Austin Texas area is shifting techniques.  The first four bombs were packages that detonated when opened or moved. A few days later another package bomb was detonated by an alarmingly well designed ‘tripwire’.  Today, a package bomb exploded at a Fed-X facility during shipment.

TEXAS – Austin’s police chief said Tuesday that, based off of the components of the package bomb that exploded at a FedEx facility in Schertz, the explosion is connected to a series of violent explosions in the City of Austin that have killed two people and injured four others throughout the month of March. Sunset Valley police told KVUE’s Jenni Lee that it is believed that this package originated at a FedEx facility southwest of Austin on Brodie Lane.

Austin Interim Police Chief Brian Manley said Tuesday that the package that exploded in Schertz was bound for Austin. Another official onsite said it is not believed Schertz or San Antonio were the intended targets. Schertz is located southwest of Austin.

The blast on Tuesday, March 20, happened at a FedEx ground distribution center on FM 3009 Highway. Officials onsite said a woman reported ringing in her ears from the blast after the medium-sized package detonated on a conveyor belt, but sustained no injuries. (read more)

Police believe somebody sent the package to Schertz from a FedEx Office store in the Austin suburb of Sunset Valley.  This could lead to a break in the case because the office store has no drop-off option; meaning the person who mailed the package needed to go inside, and thus could be on the store’s surveillance video.

The FBI has sent 350 special agents to Austin as well as extra bomb squads.

Let’s hope this serial bomber is caught quickly.

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