17-year-old Dies, Two Injured In Explosion In Austin

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

A 17-year-old man lost his life and two women were injured Monday after the explosion of two packages in Austin, Texas.

As confirmed by People magazine, on Monday at 6:44 am, authorities received a call after a package exploded on Old Fort Hill Drive, killing the 17-year-old and injuring a woman in her 40s.

The second explosion, which occurred at 11:49 am, took place more than five miles apart and injured a 75-year-old Hispanic woman, Austin police announced at a press conference.

“My heart goes out to the family of the person who died and [those who] were injured by the explosion at Old Fort Hill Dr. This type of crime will not be tolerated in #ATX. If you receive a package that you are not expecting or that looks suspicious, DO NOT open it, call 911 immediately,”Austin Acting Chief of Police Brian Manley said on Twitter.

Manley confirms that the blasts are similar to the ones that killed a man in Austin on March 2, which has raised the question of whether the cases are related.

"There is no known reason for the explosions at this time, police said. When asked if authorities believe the incident was terrorism, an Austin police spokeswoman tells People: "We don't rule out what this could be."

In the March 2 case, which also occurred in the morning, the victim found a package on the stairs at the entrance to her building and detonated it in her hands. At first it was investigated as a suspicious death, but now it is investigated as a homicide. The victim of the March 2 incident was identified as Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old African American man.

The fatality on March 2 was an African-American man, as well as the fatality on Monday. The second of Monday's attacks wounded a Latino woman. The authorities "cannot rule out that hate crimes are at the core of this, but we are not saying that is the cause as well," Manley said. "We are only looking at the possible motivations that would unite these two cases."

The FBI and Austin Police ask the public not to touch or open unexpected or suspicious packages. If you or someone you know receives an unexpected or suspicious package, call 911 or 512-974-2000.