Update 6:10 p.m. A statement was released from Eddie Harp on behalf of the Conditt family. It reads: "The family is grieved both for their loss and also for the loss of those affected by these heinous actions. The family’s present focus is on dealing with their shock and loss and cooperating with the police investigation. if you are a praying person please join us in praying for the families of all who have lost loved ones.” Update 4:50 p.m. Austin Community College has released additional information regarding Mark Conditt’s time spent at its ACC Northridge and Round Rock campuses. The community college shared a link to a blog that Conditt wrote for a U.S. government class that he took in 2012. ACC additionally confirmed:
- The school’s records indicate no disciplinary actions were made against Conditt.
- Conditt indicated he was homeschooled on his application to ACC.
- The student ID photo is from 2010.
Update 3:40 p.m.
Explosive experts are working to safely remove and dispose of homemade explosives found inside a home located at 403 Second Street, Pflugerville, according to Community Impact Newspaper's media partner Fox 7 Austin.
In an abundance of caution, police evacuated residents within a four-block radius of the home from North Railroad Avenue to City Park Road and north of West Pecan Street. Pflugerville City Hall remains closed. The public is advised to stay away from the area as agencies work.
The FBI and ATF are working to mitigate any potential hazards to nearby residents.
Update 2:15 p.m.
Austin Community College has released a photo of the Austin bombing suspect and additional information.
ACC records confirm the deceased suspect, identified by police as Mark Anthony Conditt, attended ACC six years ago. They also shared the following:
- Mark Anthony Conditt enrolled in courses from 2010-2012.
- He has not enrolled in courses for the past six years.
- His declared major was Business Administration.
- He took general education courses at ACC Northridge and Round Rock campuses.
- He did not graduate.
- He left the college in 2012 good academic standing.
Update 1:40 p.m. The night before the death of the Austin bombing suspect, law enforcement officials filed an arrest warrant for Mark Conditt, 23, of Pflugerville. The federal criminal compliant was filed by interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski; Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore; and United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas John F. Bash. “Hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement officers worked together to identify and locate Conditt," Bash said in a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. "I was awed by their professionalism, collaborative spirit, and indefatigable commitment to protecting the public. I send my deepest condolences to the families of Anthony Stephan House and Draylen Mason, and I pray for the recovery of the surviving victims of these monstrous crimes.” The federal criminal complaint charged Conditt with one count of Unlawful Possession and Transfer of a Destructive Device. The complaint affidavit remains sealed because the investigation is still underway. The department urges residents to stay alert and call 911 if they see any suspicious packages or bags because it is possible that further destructive devices were planted or mailed, residents of Austin and surrounding areas, according to the statement. Investigators have also questioned the two roommates of Conditt, according to the Austin Police Department.
Investigators have detained two roommates of the Austin bombing suspect. One roommate was detained, questioned and released. The other is currently being questioned. Their names will not be released because they are not under arrest at this time. APD PIO
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 21, 2018
Update 1:17 p.m. As investigators continue their search of a house in Pflugerville believed to have been the home of the Austin bombing suspect, Mark Conditt, more details of how the suspect created the bombs is surfacing. Community Impact Newspaper's media partner, the Texas Tribune, reports Gov. Greg Abbott said materials used in the bombings were purchased at an area Home Depot. These included five signs that said something like "Children at Play." "It is my information that that trip wire ... was tied to one of those signs that he purchased," Abbott said. Abbott also relayed more details about how law enforcement came to connect Conditt to the bombings throughout Austin in March, according to the Tribune. He said Wednesday that surveillance video was obtained at the FedEx store of Conditt mailing the packages. Investigators also had cell phone records indicating his phone was near each of the bombing sites and other key locations. Meanwhile, law enforcement continue evacuating the area near downtown Pflugerville as a safety precaution, including closing Railroad Avenue to traffic.
