Austin police chief says bomber is 'taunting' law enforcement

The suspected serial bomber targeting Austin, believed to have set up explosions that killed two people and injured five, is "showing that he's quite good," Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said Monday.

Since March 2, four bombs have gone off around the city — three were left on doorsteps, and one was triggered Sunday night when two men on their bicycles hit a tripwire; they were seriously injured, but are expected to survive. Due to similarities between the devices, it's believed that all four bombings are linked, and only a few hours before the fourth bomb went off, law enforcement officials pleaded with the bomber to give them a call. "We've opened ourselves up for a message, and that's why we asked him to contact us and gave him phone numbers for him to contact us at," Manley told CBS News.

Manley said he believes the person is "showing that he's quite good. This person is taunting law enforcement in the city, that he's one step ahead." Former counterterrorism agent Fred Burton told CBS News the suspect is likely watching the news to see what people are saying about the attacks, and "knows explosives," possibly learning while in the military. There are now 500 federal agents working the case in Austin, and officials are offering a reward of $115,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up