Austin bombing suspect dies by self-detonated bomb
ROUND ROCK, Texas. -- The Austin bombing suspect is dead Austin law enforcement confirmed Wednesday morning after a confrontation with police.
According to the Austin Police Department, the 24-year-old white male suspect detonated an explosive device inside a car after attempting to flee from police. He died as a result of the explosion.
Since the bombings started on March 2, investigators frantically searched for clues, calling the attacks the work of a"serial bomber" who increasingly changed tactics. The bombings killed two people and left the Texas capital terrorized with fear for 19 days.
Since Tuesday morning, authorities pinned a person of interest in the case and used surveillance video from the explosion at the Schertz, Texas FedEx facility to confirm him as the suspect.
Officials say the suspect was found at a hotel in Round Rock, approximately 19 miles north of Austin.
The suspect attempted to drive away from police when he pulled over to the side of the road and detonated the device inside the vehicle.
An officer fired shots at the vehicle during the explosion and another officer was injured from the blast.
The suspect's name has not been released.
Police are concerned there are more packages sent by the bomber that have not been found.
“We are concerned there still may be other devices out there. We want to make sure that if people see suspicious packages or bags to contain that, call 911 and report it to police,” said a spokesperson with the ATF.
#BREAKING: The suspect in the #AustinBombings has been killed after FBI, Austin police tracked him down and engaged him in Round Rock within the last hour, according to state law enforcement officials. A device detonated --which they expected when they pursued him. Then shots.
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) March 21, 2018
The explosions
Of the four previous explosions in Austin, the first three involved cardboard packages left in front yards or on porches. They weren't delivered by the US Postal Service or services such as UPS or FedEx, police say.
Those three explosions -- one on March 2 and two more on March 12 -- killed or wounded three African-Americans and one Hispanic person. They happened in east Austin areas with predominantly minority residents. Some residents expressed concern the attacks might have been racially-motivated.
The victims
The first explosion killed 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House on March 2. The second blast on March 12 killed 17-year-old Draylen Mason.
The third blast happened several hours later and critically injured a 75-year-old woman.
Those three blasts all happened after someone left explosives-laden packages on the victims' doorsteps.
In the fourth blast, a device was triggered by a tripwire, injuring two white men in a predominantly white area.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that those bombings could be hate crimes. They urged residents to pay attention to their surroundings, and not approach or touch anything that looks suspicious.
CNN's Faith Karimi and Mary Lynn Ryan contributed to this article.