Austin Bombings: Another Explosion Tuesday In South Austin

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — An explosion at a Goodwill store on Tuesday evening in South Austin forced nearby businesses to evacuate and a school to go on lockdown as FBI agents and other law enforcement officials scrambled to determine whether the incident was connected to a March bombing spree that has the region on edge.

The Tuesday night blast followed a morning explosion at a FedEx shipping center in Schertz, near San Antonio, and reports of the disarming of another bomb at a FedEx distribution center near an airport in Austin.

The Goodwill incident was an incendiary device, not a package bomb as in the earlier explosions. A man in his 30s was hurt, although his wounds were not believed to be life-threatening. Police and federal authorities said they did not believe the latest explosion was related to five explosions that have left two people dead and severely injured four others since March 2 but the investigation is continuing.

“At this time, we have no reason to believe this incident is related to previous package bombs,” Austin police tweeted.

Gerald Davis, President of Goodwill, told NBC News an employee was sifting through a bag of donations when he saw a flash. That worker suffered minor injuries to his hand.

Reporters in the area said a smoky smell filled the air and people in nearby businesses were visibly upset. The Tuesday night explosion was particularly jarring as it followed the two FedEx incidents earlier in the day, both of which were linked to four previous bombings.

The Schertz package bomb early Tuesday morning was believed to have been headed to Austin. One person was treated and released at the scene following the blast on the 9900 block of Doerr Lane, police said in a subsequent press briefing. Reports of a second, undetonated, package have since been retracted, however, FedEx confirmed that the individual responsible did ship a second package that has been turned over to law enforcement.

A tripwire bomb on Sunday in Austin was triggered along a street and suggested a "higher level of sophistication" than the first three package bombs, which were hand-delivered to peoples' doorsteps. It also suggests the bomber's targets are random in addition to possibly being targeted.

Related story: 5th Texas Parcel Bombing Different Than Others In Austin

Sunset Valley police have since told media outlets they believe the package that exploded at the Schertz sorting facility may have originated from their local FedEx Office store on Brodie Lane in Austin. The store is at the popular Sunset Valley shopping center, portions of which have now been cordoned off with police tape.

Representatives from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the scene, later staging a press briefing but declining to provide substantive details about the Schertz explosion that occurred at 12:25 a.m. Tuesday.

Schertz Police Chief Michael Hanson made a point to correct earlier — and erroneous — media reports that a person was badly injured in the blast. The chief said the package that exploded was on an automated conveyor belt, with the blast resulting in a female employee complaining of ringing in the ears.

"We're very fortunate no one was injured," Hanson said.

Officials declined to describe the package that detonated. They only said the Schertz community was in no immediate danger, and the FedEx building had been secured.

By noon, FedEx officials issued a prepared statement on Tuesday's developments that thrust their company in an unwanted spotlight:

"FedEx has confirmed that a package detonated at a San Antonio FedEx Ground facility early this morning. We have also confirmed that the individual responsible also shipped a second package that has now been secured and turned over to law enforcement. We are thankful that there were no serious injuries from this criminal activity. We have provided law enforcement responsible for this investigation extensive evidence related to these packages and the individual that shipped them collected from our advanced technology security systems. The safety and security measures in place across the FedEx networks are designed to protect the safety of our people, customers and communities, and to assist law enforcement as appropriate."

The company's assertion it had handed over a second package contradicts reports from San Antonio Police Chief William McManus and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, both of whom also confirmed the existence of a second package before retracting the claim. The police chief told media outlets later that he had misspoken.

If a second package exists that failed to detonate, it could yield a wealth of clues to investigators seeking to find the culprit in the bombing spree. The intact mechanism of the triggering device could yield a signature tying the device to the suspect.

Congressman Roger Williams, a Republican from Austin, reacted to the latest detonation, saying his thoughts are with the numerous law enforcement officials involved in the investigation.

“I have been in contact with Austin Police Chief Brian Manley regarding the attacks that occurred in our community," Williams said in a prepared statement. "Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies have my full support in bringing an end to these violent acts. Over 500 federal agents are deployed to the Austin area, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI are updating us regularly. I continue to pray for the victims of these heinous crimes, and will keep the brave law enforcement officers and first responders in mind as they work to deliver justice.”

Officials urge anyone with information that would be helpful to their investigation to call the tips line at (512) 472-TIPS (8477).

Schertz is located just over 20 miles northeast of San Antonio and about 80 miles south of Austin.

Watch the full briefing by law enforcement officials below:

Tony Cantú contributed to this report

Photo: Police tape marks off the neighborhood where a package bomb went off on March 19, 2018 in Austin, Texas. Police are investigating the bombing which injured two and is the fourth similar bombing in three weeks in the Austin area. (Photo by Drew Anthony Smith/Getty Images News/Getty Images)