# Austin, Texas explosions (a 4th one has been reported) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 19, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806 "2018-03-19T03:21:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/1 "2018-03-19T03:21:37Z")
I just heard on my local news that two men were injured in a fourth explosion. > **[Officials confirm latest Austin bombing was triggered by tripwire](https://abcnews.go.com/US/explosion-austin-men-injured-authorities/story?id=53841032)** > > The explosion was the fourth incident this month in Austin. In recent weeks, there have been two fatalities and one serious injury; all the casualties were black or Hispanic, and the injured victim is a 75-year-old woman. The above story also says there’s now a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. There have to be some Dopers who live there. What are people there saying about it? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/2 "2018-03-19T03:30:34Z")
My sister and her family live in Austin proper. She has stopped all ordering. If a package comes to her house she’ll know it’s not for her. They are basically on lockdown. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/3 "2018-03-19T03:41:05Z")
What a horrible thing to have to think about. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/4 "2018-03-19T03:52:07Z")
Too early to tell about the 4th one but the victims of the 1st three were connected. The families of the 1st two victims knew each other and I believe went to the same church. It’s been stated that the third bomb was intended for someone who does have a connection with the other two and the victim set off the bomb before its intended target could get to it. The fear is understandable but as of right now it seems that those that have a connection to the other victims are the ones that need to be careful. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/5 "2018-03-19T07:00:28Z")
They now think that the latest device could have been set off [by a tripwire](https://www.statesman.com/news/apd-police-aren-ruling-out-the-possibility-tripwire-type-bomb/bfBx4fYLP0sUydeaOZpUSM/). ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/6 "2018-03-19T16:01:50Z")
Lived there for a few years, still have some peeps in the area. I’ve heard the first 3 targets were connected through shared social justice campaigns or protests, but nothing further besides vague speculation. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/7 "2018-03-19T16:13:06Z")
Unfortunately, it may take a while to catch this one. I’m betting it’s someone who, despite being a sociopath, has some pretty good technical skills and what until now has been a good plan to avoid detection. They’ll get him eventually but until they do, what a terrible thing for Austin. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/8 "2018-03-19T22:30:22Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Unfortunately, it may take a while to catch this one. I’m betting it’s someone who, despite being a sociopath, has some pretty good technical skills and what until now has been a good plan to avoid detection. They’ll get him eventually but until they do, what a terrible thing for Austin. I, too had heard that the first three victims knew each other, although AFAIK they were just casual acquaintances. Because most crime of all types, including bombings, goes on between people who know each other, when the arrest is made, it most likely will be someone with a connection to most or all of them. Has anyone heard about other bombs being found in the region, if not the city itself? If they haven’t been caught yet, it’s a pretty safe bet that they’ve done this before, even “unsuccessfully”. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/9 "2018-03-20T13:13:26Z")
And the hits just keep on [coming](https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/national/one-injured-in-package-explosion-at-fedex-facility-near-san-antonio). ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/10 "2018-03-20T15:59:23Z")
We had a random passerby setting off a trip wire. The earlier ones were victims who had some connections, then a random attack. Now the FedEx explosion. Odds are the same guy but who knows, maybe a copycat? ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/11 "2018-03-20T16:13:24Z")
Four (now five) bombs, two dead, & the police chief asks the bomber to [call them](http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-chief-urges-bombing-suspect-surrender-understand-brought/story?id=53836544). :rolleyes: Do those pleas to turn yourself in _ever_ work? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/12 "2018-03-20T17:26:24Z")
Not to worry, the toddler-in-chief has a firm grasp on the situation: > [@](#): > > “These are sick people and we will get to the bottom of it. We will be very strong. We have all sorts of federal agencies over there right now researching what’s going on in Austin. A great place. Tremendous place. Is absolutely disgraceful. So we have a lot of power over we’re looking. It is not easy to find. But these are sick people and we have to find them as soon as possible. We have to find them really immediately. I will say working with Texas, working with the local governments has been great, but we have to produce, we have to find this very sick person or people.” They must be able to figure out where every package in that facility came from, then by eliminating those that didn’t explode, we’d have a short list of packages to trace or perhaps only one. Then maybe there’s video of the guy dropping it off for shipping. I bet he’s in custody before April. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/13 "2018-03-20T17:38:00Z")
Let me self moderate about political jabs in this forum, my apologies. Should have identified the quote as being from Donald and not the toddler-in-chief. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/14 "2018-03-20T17:41:05Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > Four (now five) bombs, two dead, & the police chief asks the bomber to [call them](http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-chief-urges-bombing-suspect-surrender-understand-brought/story?id=53836544). :rolleyes: > > Do those pleas to turn yourself in _ever_ work? It’s actually up to six bombs. There was another at the same FedEx facility that didn’t explode. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/15 "2018-03-20T17:45:01Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > It’s actually up to six bombs. There was another at the same FedEx facility that didn’t explode. That’s the best news yet. He’ll be in jail soon. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/16 "2018-03-20T17:50:20Z")
I thought I read something about a possible racial motivation? Were the first 3 victims black? ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/17 "2018-03-20T17:56:45Z")
Yes, the first three bombs were package bombs set on the east side. 1 march 2, 2 March 12th. quiet during SXSW, then a trip wire Sunday night. Early this morning, a package exploded in a FedEx facility near San Antionio to the SW. It came from Austin and was going to an Austin address, but exploded near SA. Then around 6:30, a suspicious package was found at teh FedEx near the airport which is SE of the city. then at 10:30, they say a second bomb was found at the SE fedex facility. So that’s 1 bomb that killed someone on their porch, 10 days later a 2nd bomb on someone’s porch that killed a kid and wounded his mother, a third porch bomb that severely wounded an older woman, then a week later (Sunday) a trip wire that happened to hurt to anglo males, but could have been tripped by anyone walking in that neighborhood at 8pm, and then two maybe three bombs mailed Monday. It’s hard to pinpoint a motive or a method at this point. It seems like when people were saying “Oh, we’re safe; just look to see if the package was left on your porch or sent through a service”, the bomber switched to services and trip wires. When they said “oh, he’s targeting minorities”, he switched to completely random targets. The main message most of us are getting is “Do you feel safe? Well, don’t. you’re not.” ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/18 "2018-03-21T01:19:40Z")
Another explosion reported; this one was at a Goodwill store. > **[The Latest: Artillery simulator caused Austin Goodwill blast](https://apnews.com/aacdba867cdd4026b8be5325a0993f6c/The-Latest:-Austin-authorities:-Another-explosion-reported)** > > AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Latest on serial bombings in Texas (all times local): 10 p.m. Police say someone dropped off a box containing an artillery simulator at an Austin Goodwill that detonated, injuring an employee and triggering a bomb scare... ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/19 "2018-03-21T02:01:05Z")
“In a statement, the company says “the individual responsible” for sending the package that blew up also shipped a second package that has been secured and turned over to law enforcement.” The guy put his name and return address on the packages? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806/20 "2018-03-21T03:50:26Z")
Isn’t mailing bombs a far less reliable, and much more risky (in terms of getting caught) method than dropping off the packages anonymously at porches, etc.? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/austin-texas-explosions-a-4th-one-has-been-reported/810806.md?page=2)