Austin, TX package bombs

[T.Lex]

Oh, my bad. Just the one bomb that blew up. Not two, never mind.

[Wait - you know I wasn't directing that at you, right? Now I'm suddenly self-conscious.]

ETA:
What's also interesting is that FedEx's statement alluded to 2 packages... AT THEIR OWN FACILITY.

That's not something that they could get wrong, I think.

ETA2.

For posterity.

"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."

 

[HoughMade]

They didn't allude to anything. They flat out said there was a second package.

 

[T.Lex]

In the re-reading, they actually "confirmed" it.

 

[HoughMade]

Now....whether it was an explosive device, that's the part they seem to be walking back.

 

[Alamo]

Chief William McManus misspoke at a news conference earlier Tuesday

Whoopsie.

 

[Alamo]

Package sent from and to Austin blows up Schertz FedEx facility

FedEx released a statement Tuesday afternoon stating the suspect sent a total of two packages through FedEx. The second package has been identified and handed over to authorities. Austin police have not confirmed the package at the Austin FedEx facility on McKinney Falls Parkway is the second package in question.

Investigators believe the suspect shipped the packages from the FedEx store on Brodie Lane in south Austin. The store was closed Tuesday and cordoned off with police tape.

So the second package was -- allegedly -- not at the Schertz Facility, but at the McKinney Falls Parkway FedEx Ground facility in Austin. It is beside Austin-Bergstrom Int'l Airport, with is basically on the east side of the area defined by where the previous four bombs went off (IIRC from yesterday's map).

The Brodie Lane FedEx store where the latest two packages were dropped off is on the west side of the area defined by the first four bombs.

 

[T.Lex]

Thanks for that background. That would explain the conflicting reports.

Will be interesting if/when they confirm there was a bomb in the other package.

 

[KellyinAvon]

[Wait - you know I wasn't directing that at you, right? Now I'm suddenly self-conscious.]

ETA:
What's also interesting is that FedEx's statement alluded to 2 packages... AT THEIR OWN FACILITY.

That's not something that they could get wrong, I think.

ETA2.

For posterity.

I was doing my Chief McManus imitation there. Unless you are plotting against me??!! WITH ONE OR MORE OTHERS??? HHHMMMM???

 

[Sylvain]

Maybe there is no "intended victim" or "intended target group".

Sometimes the objective is just to instill terror in the general population.


I am waiting for the anti-gunners to call for the banning of "assault packages".
Since there is no such thing, they can make it anything they want.
Limit weight or size.
If it saves one life
No one need to ship anything that big or heavy.
We should require background checks to mail.
Etc.

We already have something similar in place over here, kinda.
If you want to ship a package above a certain size and weight (250 grams, bigger than a small envelope), from France to the United States, you now have to show a valid official ID.
The name of the sender on the back of the package needs to match the name on the ID.
You can't send anonymous mail.
It's not required to show ID ship a package of any size to any other country.
Packages going to the US and Israel are also X-rayed.

 

[Alamo]

We already have something similar in place over here, kinda.
If you want to ship a package above a certain size and weight (250 grams, bigger than a small envelope), from France to the United States, you now have to show a valid official ID.
The name of the sender on the back of the package needs to match the name on the ID.
You can't send anonymous mail.
It's not required to show ID ship a package of any size to any other country.
Packages going to the US and Israel are also X-rayed.

That's largely true (packages above a certain size need ID) in the US as well, because of previous mail bombings. So if the bomber did launch those packages from the Brodie Lane facility, there should be video of him/her doing so. There are remote fedex drops, but I believe you have to print the labels for mailing them from a known identity.

 

[Alamo]

By the way, the Brodie Lane facility is next to some kind of nature preserve.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

wrong thread

 

[CraigAPS]

That's largely true (packages above a certain size need ID) in the US as well, because of previous mail bombings. So if the bomber did launch those packages from the Brodie Lane facility, there should be video of him/her doing so. There are remote fedex drops, but I believe you have to print the labels for mailing them from a known identity.

No, there is no requirement for ID. The only things that could tie someone to a package are: If they use an FedEx account, that account is tied to a credit card. If paid for by cash in person, there is definitely camera footage. One can make an online account, but only authorized users (you actually have to get authorization from the account holder to keep people from getting the account number and charging shipments) can be associated with an account. So, there are safeguards, but not an ID requirement, except for checking ID of a credit card holder if used to pay for the shipment. So, in order to ship completely anonymous, one would have to steal someone's log in and password to gain access to their online account, print a label, then take to a drop off point, and not be seen dropping it off. However, many drop off points are inside places or in view of cameras at nearby businesses. Very difficult to remain incognito, but not to the extent of needing to verify the person sending it.

 

[Alamo]

No, there is no requirement for ID. .

Yes, true, not a photo ID, but I was thinking of an account with CC. Not like the old days when you could put a bunch of stamps on a package and drop it in a USPS box. I am that old.

 

[CraigAPS]

Yes, true, not a photo ID, but I was thinking of an account with CC. Not like the old days when you could put a bunch of stamps on a package and drop it in a USPS box. I am that old.

I think my grandma told me something about that...

I also remember those days. You also used to be able to do a similar thing with paper airbills for FedEx. Hand write it and drop it in a dropbox.

 

[Alamo]

By the way, has anyone mentioned who those packages at the FedEx place were addressed to?

 

[CraigAPS]

By the way, has anyone mentioned who those packages at the FedEx place were addressed to?

It heard on the radio this morning it was sent from Austin to Austin. The nearest sorting facility must be Schertz.

Not an actual address, but, if it is indeed the same person as the previous four, it was probably a residence. That seems to have been his MO thus far. I think it's also coincidental that you said the FedEx location is near a nature preserve, seeing as the other bombs were near a greenway, if I heard correctly.

 

[breakingcontact]

He/they keep it up, they'll be caught soon. The unabomber got away with it for so long due to stringing things out.

 

[Alamo]

If this bomber were going for maximum casualties, I can't figure out why they aren't targeting SXSW.

This really seems like some sort of targeting.

The City of Austin has demographic distribution maps on their site:
Demographic Maps | Planning and Zoning | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin

If you look at the percentage African-American, it doesn't really show much concentration in the areas where the bombs went off. But, if you look at the absolute number map, the distribution looks similar to the map of the bombs. At least, it traces the same curve.

That means it may be a perception issue by the bomber. The bombs are in areas with a high number of African-Americans, but not necessarily a high concentration. That explains why people keep floating a racial motivation for the bombs.

I took a look at the demo maps too, and worked out as near as I could the exact locations. The Haverford and Oldfort Hill locations are near places with concentrations of African-Americans -- but not the highest concentrations in Austin. Those two bomb sites were in the 40-60% Af-Am range. The Galindo Street bomb site was near a neighborhood that was in the 20% range.

The tripwire bomb was in a neighborhood ("Travis Country" development it looks like) that had less than 10% Af-Am, if that many. And the a trip-wire is kind of a random targeting device, unless you have know your target travels a specific path at a specific time (like an evening jogger).

If you just wanted to blow up somebody because he's black, there are other areas of the city where AF-Ams are 80% or more of the neighborhood and a tripwire would work. But in the neighborhood where it was placed, no surprise a couple white dudes tripped it instead.

So maybe the first couple or three bombs were intended for specific people who also happened to be black, and the targeting characteristic is their relationship to each other or to something like a church, association, or what-have-you. Be interesting to know if there is an Af-Am doctor or business person that lives in the tripwire neighborhood (it is a bit pricey, houses look like they start at $500K), goes to the same church or political group, and likes to jog or bicycle along the road where the bomb was.

Or maybe the bomber is just throwing darts at a map of Austin and he groups to the east and south.

 

[KellyinAvon]

In a sort facility like this if the package already had its bar code scanned inside that facility they will have a lot of info. In order to send the packages to the right destination it has to be in the right place on the conveyor. I can't help but think if the bomber walked into a Fed Ex Store or a Staples he/she would have been arrested before lunch. I also think there was two bomb packages and the OPSEC got completely blown here. Pretend you don't know about the 2nd package, send a look-alike and wait for the bad guy. That's out the window.