Texas Governor, Greg Abbott is offering a $15,000 reward for information on deadly package bombs in Austin over the past ten days. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Gov. Abbot said he had been briefed on the recent blasts which have claimed the lives two people and injured two others. The Governor also said he is working with the police department to ensure all the residents in the area are safe. To claim the reward, one must submit a tip to Texas Crime Stoppers by telephone or message.
The authorities are still investigating the three bomb incidents and have now deduced that the events might be connected.
Two of the bombs exploded on Monday, just hours of each other killing a 39-year-old man and a 17-year old male, both victims were African-American. At around noon another bomb went off injuring a 75-year-old Hispanic woman. The woman survived the blast and was rushed to the hospital. According to the police, the woman was not severely injured.
Bombs might be connected
The authorities are yet to decide if these are hate crimes, but they believe there’s a possibility the victims were targeted due to their race, according to Austin Police Chief, Brian Manley. The Police Chief said the residents found packages outside their homes with no address and upon opening the boxes would explode. Neighbors report hearing a house-shaking explosion.
Isaiah Guerrero told KXAN he lives a few houses but his house shook after the bomb exploded. A neighbor who lives five houses to the blast, says she and her husband saw the 75-year-old woman in the yard covered in grass. They quickly ran and covered her with a blanket as the explosion ripped off her clothing.
Chief advises residents to be cautious
All residents of Austin are advised to be cautious of the packages they receive. Manley told the residents to call the police if they receive a package they were not expecting or from someone they don't know. Spokeswoman Stephanie Jacksis told KXAN that Austin residents were terrified after the explosions and by 6 PM.
Monday, the police had received 82 calls about suspicious packages.
According to Manley, the bombs came in average sized boxes but were very powerful devices. The police believe the individual/individuals responsible are highly skilled. A college professor from Austin referred to the teenage victim as a smart individual who had a bright future. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the explosions, according to Manley.
