President Trump is closely monitoring a series of deadly package explosions in Austin, Texas, where authorities grew increasingly worried Tuesday morning after a fifth bomb detonated at a nearby FedEx facility.
“[Trump] mourns for victims of the recent bombing in Austin. We are monitoring the situation, federal authorities are coordinating [with] local officials,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted Tuesday. “We are committed to bringing perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice.”
While federal law enforcement officials concluded last week that the parcel bombings were likely connected, Sanders said, “There is no apparent nexus to terrorism at this time.”
The FBI has dispatched more than 350 agents to the Austin area since last week, when two people were killed and two more were injured in separate bombings. Sarah Isgur Flores, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, said those agents are helping local authorities in several ways.
“This includes round-the-clock surveillance teams, agents specializing in explosives and IEDs, FBI behavioral analysts, and ATF forensic scientists,” she said. “Attorney General Sessions, FBI Director Wray, and ATF Director Brandon are fully coordinating with US Attorney John Bash and the teams on the ground to ensure that every resource is employed to find the killer or killers and get justice for the victims of these attacks.”
A third blast on Sunday injured two white men in their 20s, after they triggered a tripwire. That development left authorities worried about the skill of the bomb-maker.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced $265,000 in emergency funding on Monday for portable X-ray machines that can be used to scan packages at shipping and distribution facilities across Texas. Federal law enforcement authorities have also offered a reward for any information that helps them identify the perpetrator.
