In the midst of the city’s annual South By Southwest festival, Austin, Texas has been rocked by a series of deadly and seemingly connected package explosions. Two separate blasts were reported in the area around East Austin on Monday morning, with the first killing a 17-year-old boy and injuring a woman, and the second injuring another woman and possibly a second individual, according to investigators on the scene. Along with a first explosion on March 2nd, which killed a man just north of Austin, CNN reports the authorities are now trying to determine whether or not all three incidents are connected.

According to CBS Austin, early Monday morning a resident in East Austin found a package outside the house and brought it inside. When the resident, a 17-year-old African-American male, opened the package in the kitchen, it exploded — killing him and injuring a woman. The third blast occurred just south of the river a few hours later, injuring another woman a package delivered to the location was opened. Per CNN, Austin Police have determined that the targeted properties are all owned by African-Americans, and they’re therefore trying to determine whether these are a hate crimes.

Just before news of the third package explosion made the rounds, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley told reporters near the scene of the second blast that it and the March 2nd incident were being investigated as connected events. “That case was being investigated as a suspicious death,” he said. “It is now being reclassified and is now a homicide investigation as well. We are looking at these incidents as being related based on similarities that we have seen in the initial evidence that we have on hand here today compared to what we found on the scene of that explosion that took place a week back.”

None of the packages were delivered to their respective locations via any known mail services. As a result, Austin Police are asking that anyone in the city who finds anything “delivered” to their doorstep not by USPS, FedEx, UPS, or any other major mail carrier report it immediately to the authorities. </s> A third explosion in which a package exploded at a residence appears to be connected to two other explosions in Austin, Texas, city Police Chief Brian Manley said Monday at a news conference. A 75-year-old woman was critically injured Monday and a 17-year-old male was injured in an earlier Monday blast. A March 2 blast killed a 39-year-old man.

Both packages were not delivered via any mail services and both homes are those of African Americans. A 17-year-old boy died Monday and a woman was transported with non-life-threatening injuries. Another male died from his injuries in the March 2 explosion.

Authorities are looking into whether the incidents could be hate crimes, but as of now there is no evidence the victims were targeted because of their race, says the official.

“This type of crime will not be tolerated” in Austin, Police Chief Brian Manley said.

Both cases are now being investigated as homicides, Manley said during a news conference Monday.

Police were responding to another “reported explosion” Monday afternoon, but have not yet said whether it is connected to this investigation. Manley strongly urged residents in a tweet to be on the lookout for suspicious packages and to alert authorities immediately.

“If you’ve received a package that has been left on your doorstep or left in your yard or left on your driveway that you were not expecting or that was not from someone you know, then give us a call,” Manley said.

Local police, as well as agencies including the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are working on the case.

The ATF is currently processing evidence from the first device at their lab and evidence from the second device will also be sent to ATF lab for consistency.

Authorities have not conclusively linked the first and second device.

The annual South by Southwest Interactive Festival began Friday in downtown Austin and ends Tuesday. The explosions are not in the immediate vicinity of the festival. </s> AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas capital was on edge Monday after a spate of package bombings left two Austin residents dead and two others badly wounded.

The latest victim was a 75-year-old woman who was listed as critical but stable with "life threatening injuries" after a package she found outside her home exploded in her arms, Police Chief Brian Manley said Monday afternoon.

The woman was hurt just hours after a 17-year-old boy was killed and another woman was injured by another deadly delivery, Manley said.

Both cases bear "similarities" to the death of Stephan House, 39, who was killed March 2 by a package bomb that was delivered to his Austin home, Manley said.

"This again [is] the third in what we believe to be related incidents that have occurred over the past 10 days," Manley said. "They are not ringing doorbells. Residents are coming out of their homes and finding them on their doorsteps."

Manley said it was too soon to say whether the incidents were the work of a serial bomber.

"But there have been a pattern of incidents," he said. "These are powerful bombs."

So far, police haven't determined a motive, Manley said, but they aren't ruling out the possibility that they could be hate crimes. The most recent victim was Hispanic, and the other three victims were black.

"We are not ruling anything out," Manley said.

None of the dangerous packages was delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, officials said.

"If you have a package show at your home and you're not expecting one, call 911," Manley said. "The three incidences have all occurred at residences. It is important that people be aware."

That goes for the thousands of people attending South by Southwest, or SXSW, in Austin, although police said Monday afternoon that the explosions weren't believed to be related to the music, film and technology festival.

Many of the SXSW attendees interviewed by NBC News were unaware of what was happening.

Festival volunteer Kendra Shaw said she hadn't heard of the bombings or gotten any notifications from organizers.

"We don't want everyone to start freaking out," she said. "I feel like South by Southwest has done a better job over the years of handling those things."

Jessica Stratton, who was attending the festival, said she saw TV reports about the bombings. "It seemed to be a non-festival-related incident, so I instantly relaxed," she said.

SXSW ratcheted up security four years ago after a driver plowed through a barricade and mowed down festival-goers, killing four of them.

The three blasts happened in different parts of east Austin, and House's death was initially investigated as suspicious, Manley said. It's now officially a homicide, he said.

The FBI and investigators from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting Austin police, said Special Agent Michelle Lee of the FBI's San Antonio office.

Abbruzzese reported from Austin. Siemaszko reported from New York City. </s> Over the course of 17 days in March, four separate packages have mysteriously exploded in Austin, killing two people in the Texas capital and injuring four others. Then, just after midnight on Tuesday morning, March 20, a fifth package exploded. Despite the fact that the package exploded at a FedEx facility in the San Antonio area, police are reportedly investigating whether it is related to the series of events that is now becoming known as the Austin bombings.

The Washington Post reported that a law enforcement official said a possible link between the fifth package and the four that have already exploded in Austin "is definitely a concern of ours." It's not hard to see why. The package that exploded at the FedEx facility in Schertz, Texas was bound for an address in Austin, CBS Austin reports.

That means that all five of the detonated packages were either sent to, or headed for, Texas' capital city.

A statement from a FedEx spokesman on Tuesday said that no deaths were causes by the latest explosion. It reads,

Most of the bombings so far have been in packages in transit or at homes, but the fourth bombing marked a difference. On Sunday, March 18, two days before the explosion at the FedEx facility near San Antonio, an explosion in Austin injured two men walking down a residential street, The Washington Post reports.

The fourth explosion differed from the previous three in two significants ways. First, it appeared to be triggered by a tripwire.

"The belief that we are now dealing with someone who is using tripwires shows a higher level of sophistication, a higher level of skill," Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said on Monday, per NPR. "Do not even approach it, but instead call 911."

The second difference between the fourth bombing and those that came before it? The first three explosions occurred in predominantly black and Latino neighborhoods, according to The Post, causing concern that the attacks were targeting minorities.

After the fourth explosion, Manley said police weren't ruling anything out.

"As we said from the beginning, we were not willing to classify this as terrorism, as hate, because we just don't know enough," the police chief said Monday, per NPR. "And what we have seen now is a significant change from what appeared to be three very targeted attacks, to what was last night an attack that would have hit a random victim that happened to walk by. So we've definitely seen a change in the method that this suspect ... is using."

The first of the Austin bombings happened on Friday morning, March 2. That particular attack resulted in a 39-year-old named Anthony Stephan House being killed after he handled a package that was left on his front porch, according to The New York Times.

Ten days later, two more bombings occurred in Austin. The first of the two killed a 17-year-old named Draylen Mason, a high school senior who had been accepted to the University of Texas, where he reportedly planned to study music.

"He was a cool guy, and he was just so fun to be around,” a friend, Kylie Phillips, told The Austin American-Statesman. “He was always busy, because he always had gigs and he was always doing things for the orchestra here in Austin … I used to sing in a band with him, so it was devastating when I found out he died.”

Mason's mother was also left critically injured, per The New York Times. Hours later, a 75-year-old Hispanic woman was injured after she picked up a package outside of her home, according to The Times.

And now, after another explosive package was found on Tuesday, police are working to make sure that a sixth explosion isn't added to the list of Austin bombings. </s> AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police have ruled out a man charged with making an SXSW bomb threat as a suspect in a string of recent deadly bombings in East Austin that began March 2.

“We do not believe he is involved in the string of package bombs,” Interim Police Chief Brian Manley said Sunday. “We looked into him and we are not thinking he is involved in this.”

Police on Saturday night arrested Trevor Weldon Ingram, 26, and charged him with making a terroristic threat, a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Manley said investigators have looked into Ingram’s threat and his background, but he declined to say other steps they have taken to rule him out.

“We have run him through the investigative process,” Manley said.

Police say the Fair Market in East Austin received a bomb threat at 4:23 p.m. Saturday, forcing the cancellation of an SXSW show by the Roots. Officers then checked the area but found nothing suspicious, officials said.

“In the interest of safety, (promoter) Bud Light made the decision to cancel the event,” according to a news release from the city of Austin early Sunday morning.

Ingram’s sister, Brittany Ingram, declined to comment Sunday morning on her brother’s arrest, but told the American-Statesman that he is not responsible for three recent bombing attacks in Austin that killed two people and left a third with serious injuries.

The emailed threat comes as authorities investigate three package bombings at homes in the last few weeks.

On March 2, 39-year-old Anthony Stephan House was seriously injured after a package at his home in Northeast Austin detonated. He later died in the hospital. Police at the time said it was an isolated incident and there was no danger to the public.

But that changed on March 12, when police responded to two more package bombings in East Austin. In the first bombing that day, Draylen Mason, 17, was killed, and his mother suffered injuries. A second attack at another home sent a woman in her 70s to the hospital with serious injuries. </s> Austin, Texas, police have arrested a man for emailing a bomb threat to the Fair Market in East Austin on Saturday evening, forcing the cancellation of a concert by The Roots at the South by Southwest festival. Police charged 26-year-old Trevor Weldon Ingram with making a terroristic threat, which is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

According to The Austin-American Statesman, a representative of the event promotion company Live Nation Music called the police to report the company had received a bomb threat via email at 4:23 p.m. Central time on Saturday. Officers checked the concert venue, but found nothing suspicious. Police took Ingram into custody at 11:15 p.m. Saturday night.

On Twitter, SXSW apologized to attendees for the inconvenience, writing, "Your safety and the safety of all fans at SXSW is our most important priority."

The Roots' drummer, Questlove, wrote on Twitter on Sunday that "no one is Mr. 'show must go on' than me. But we can't risk our lives if we are told there was a bomb threat."

According to The New York Times, Ludacris, Rapsody and SWV also had been also been scheduled to perform.

The bomb threat came at a time of heightened fear in Austin following three package bombs that exploded in East Austin earlier this month.

Anthony House, 39, died after a package bomb exploded on March 2. Another went off on March 12, critically wounding a 75-year-old woman, just hours after a bomb killed 17-year-old Draylen Mason and injured his mother when they opened a package in their kitchen. The cases remain unsolved.

The Austin Police Department, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced an increase in the reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people behind the bombs, offering $100,000, in addition to a $15,000 reward being offered by the Texas governor's office.

In a statement on Saturday's bomb threat at SXSW, the Austin Police department wrote that "there are no indications of any broader security concern for any activities relating to this incident." </s> AUSTIN, Texas — A pair of package explosions that left two people dead in Austin, Texas, over the past 10 days share similarities and authorities suspect they are connected, police said.

The latest incident occurred Monday morning; the other on March 2. In both instances, a resident retrieved a package that blew up when it was opened.

Both packages were not delivered via any mail services and both homes are those of African Americans. A 17-year-old boy died Monday and a woman was transported with non-life-threatening injuries. Another male died from his injuries in the March 2 explosion.

Authorities are looking into whether the incidents could be hate crimes, but as of now there is no evidence the victims were targeted because of their race, says the official.

“This type of crime will not be tolerated” in Austin, Police Chief Brian Manley said.

Both cases are now being investigated as homicides, Manley said during a news conference Monday.

Police were responding to another “reported explosion” Monday afternoon, but have not yet said whether it is connected to this investigation. Manley strongly urged residents in a tweet to be on the lookout for suspicious packages and to alert authorities immediately.

“If you’ve received a package that has been left on your doorstep or left in your yard or left on your driveway that you were not expecting or that was not from someone you know, then give us a call,” Manley said.

Local police, as well as agencies including the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are working on the case.

The ATF is currently processing evidence from the first device at their lab and evidence from the second device will also be sent to ATF lab for consistency.

Authorities have not conclusively linked the first and second device.

The annual South by Southwest Interactive Festival began Friday in downtown Austin and ends Tuesday. The explosions are not in the immediate vicinity of the festival. </s> Law enforcement -- including federal agents from the FBI and ATF -- flooded a normally quiet neighborhood in southwest Austin overnight, after an explosion injured two people. Police believe a bomb left on the side of the road exploded, injuring two people.

According to a first responder, one of the victims had a nail in his wound, reports correspondent Omar Villafranca.

Police say the two men injured in last night's explosion were with their bikes when the bomb went off. "It is very possible that this device was a device that was activated by someone either handling, kicking, or coming in contact with a tripwire that activated the device," said Austin Interim Police Chief Brian Manley.

The two victims are hospitalized in good condition.

Police have ordered everyone within about a half-mile of the explosion to stay inside their homes.

The blast follows a trio of package bombs that killed two and injured two others this month. Police are working under the belief that last night's explosion is connected.

Police were continuing to examine the blast site Monday morning, and combing through the neighborhood to make sure there are no other threats.

Chief Manley said investigators were checking a backpack found near the scene of the blast, and warned people to stay away from anything suspicious.

"We now need the community to have an extra level of vigilance and pay attention to any suspicious device, whether it be a package, a bag, [or] a backpack," he said.

CBS affiliate KEYE-TV reported that the incident happened in the 4800 block of Dawn Song Drive, near Mopac and 290, around 8:45 p.m. Sunday.

Police say they are waiting until daylight to confirm this neighborhood is safe and are asking people to stay in their homes until at least 10 a.m.
• None Series of bombs left in packages puts Austin residents on edge ("CBS Evening News")
• None 2 Austin families targeted by package bombs knew each other 



Earlier this month, three package bombs were left on porches in East Austin. All three exploded, killing two people and severely injuring two others. All of the victims were black or Hispanic.

Assisting Austin police are more than 500 federal officials. By Sunday afternoon, 735 suspicious packages were reported, 435 leads were called in, and 236 people had been interviewed.

A reward for information has risen to $115,000.

Manley believes the previous explosives were meant to send a message.

"We hope this person or persons is watching and will reach out to us before anyone else is injured or anyone else is killed," Chief Manley said.
• None Man arrested for bomb threat that shut down Roots concert at SXSW in Austin </s> A series of package bombs have rocked Austin, Texas in the last two weeks, and now Austin's governor is asking for help getting information about the disturbing incidents, which police now warn may be connected.

Three Packages Have Exploded Across The City, Leaving Two Dead

On Monday, a 75-year-old woman was seriously injured after picking up a package that was left outside her home. Police Chief Brian Manley said "she was significantly injured[.]"

Hours earlier, a similar package killed a 17-year-old boy and seriously injured another woman.

On March 2nd, a 39-year-old man, Anthony Stephan House, was killed in a similar incident.

Neighbors told Dallas News reporter Jackie Wang that "the earth shook" and people "were running and screaming, holding babies and pets.

All The Victims Have Been People Of Color

Police Chief Manley told reporters that two of the previous victims were African American and that the latest victim was Hispanic, leaving open the possibility that the incidents were racially motivated.

At Least Two Of The Packages Are Believed To Have Been Hand Delivered

Manley says that at least two of the packages are believed to have been delivered by hand, without the use of any major courier or mailing service.

Authorities Say They Suspect The Incidents Are Connected

Manley told reporters that evidence points to a connection between the incidents, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has urged Austin residents to beware of unexpected packages and call 911 if they suspect something suspicious.

Authorities are offering up to $15,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information has been encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-252-8477, text "DPS" and a tip to 274637 or submit a tip online.

The FBI and the Burau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the crimes along with the Austin Police Department.
In Austin, Texas, a fourth bomb detonates, injuring two men. The Austin Police Department believes it is connected to the other parcel bombings, but do not believe it to be connected to the bomb threat leveled at the SXSW festival.