USA: Explosion in south Austin (Texas) deemed accident Mar. 20 /update 4

Event

Police have deemed the explosion that occurred at 19:00 (local time) on Tuesday, March 20, in Austin (Texas) to be accidental and unrelated to recent bombings. According to official sources, the explosion was caused by a flare given to a Goodwill donation center. It ignited as a worker sifted through recent donations, leading to a minor injury. However, as the case of the alleged serial bomber remains open, further bombings in the Austin area cannot be ruled out.

Context

Austin police believe that the five recent bombings in Austin are the work of a serial bomber. The motive for the bombings is currently unclear, though police have not ruled out the possibility that the attacks are racially motivated hate crimes; the first three bombings, on March 2 and March 12, killed and wounded minority persons who received the parcels at their doors. However, the March 18 bombing in Austin was detonated via tripwire and wounded two white men, suggesting that the bombing was potentially indiscriminate in its target. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Congressional Black Caucus have deemed the bombings to be domestic terror incidents; the Congressional Black Caucus has called on officials to determine if the attacks are "ideologically or racially motivated."

Advice

Individuals in Austin and surrounding areas are advised to monitor the situation, report any suspicious activity or behavior to the police, and to not open any unexpected packages. Police are asking residents to call 911 if they receive a package they are not expecting or see anything suspicious.