SCHERTZ, Texas – UPDATE at 6:50 p.m.:
The Austin Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are confirming that the two packages located at separate FedEx facilities in the San Antonio and Austin area are connected to the previous four package explosions.
The previous four explosions occurred within three weeks between March 2 and March 18 in Austin.
Tuesday's package explosion, however, happened less than 70 miles south in Schertz at a FedEx facility. The second package, located at another FedEx facility in Austin, was disrupted by law enforcement officers, authorities said.
FBI, @Austin_Police and @ATFHou confirmed packages located at two separate FedEx facilities in the Austin/San Antonio area today are connected to the four previous package explosions that occurred between March 2 and March 18 in Austin, Texas. #PackageBombMurders
— FBI SanAntonio (@FBISanAntonio) March 20, 2018
5:30 p.m.
The chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security committee says federal authorities informed him investigators have obtained surveillance videos in Austin that "could possibly" show a suspect in the package bombing at a FedEx distribution center near San Antonio.
Congressman Michael McCaul told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he's been briefed by the FBI, ATF and Austin police about the situation. But he adds that investigators are still pouring through the surveillance recordings.
Austin police earlier said another suspicious package was discovered at a second FedEx center near Austin's main airport. McCaul says evidence obtained from that package if kept intact could be key in finding the bomber.
McCaul, whose district includes Austin, says he hopes the bomber's "biggest mistake was going through FedEx."
3:45 p.m.
FedEx says it has turned over "extensive evidence" to authorities after a package exploded at its processing center in the town of Schertz, south of Austin.
In a statement, the company says "the individual responsible" for sending the package that blew up also shipped a second package that has been secured and turned over to law enforcement.
FedEx says it gave authorities evidence "related to these packages and the individual that shipped them collected from our advanced technology security systems."
A company spokeswoman subsequently refused to say if that second package might have been linked to a suspicious package that authorities seized at another FedEx shipping facility on Tuesday, this one in south Austin, near the city's airport.
No arrests have been made in the five bombings that have rocked the Austin area since March 2.
12:45 p.m.
FedEx released a statement confirming the individual responsible for the Schertz package bomb also shipped a second package that was secured and turned over to law enforcement.
The statement also says the delivery service has turned over extensive evidence related to the packages and the individual who shipped them "collected from [their] advanced technology systems."
Our statement on the incidents in Texas: https://t.co/RXBdu7vzqk pic.twitter.com/rYQFkkkwYU
— FedEx (@FedEx) March 20, 2018
12:37 p.m.
The San Antonio Police Department clarified chief William McManus misspoke when he said there was a second package discovered at the FedEx facility in Schertz. Authorities did not find a secondary device at the facility.
12 p.m.
Federal investigators say the package that exploded at a FedEx facility in Schertz is believed to be linked to the string of bombings in Austin.
"It would be silly for us not to admit that we suspect it's related," FBI agent Michelle Lee said.
President Donald Trump is blaming a "very sick individual or individuals" for a series of bombings in Austin, Texas.
Trump said during an Oval Office meeting Tuesday with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman that the situation is "terrible."
He says, "This is obviously a very sick individual or individuals" and that authorities are "working to get to the bottom of it."
11:10 a.m.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told an Austin TV station that the bomb that blew up at the FedEx facility in Schertz was mailed from Austin to Austin.
Multiple sources are reporting that the package was mailed from a privately owned FedEx store in Sunset Valley.
The FedEx website lists the location of the FedEx office on Brodie Lane as only having a drop box for packages inside the building. Meaning whoever drops off a package at that location must go inside the store.
San Antonio Chief of Police William McManus said there were two packages at the Schertz FedEx facility during a media briefing, but only one exploded. NOTE: SAPD has since stated that McManus misspoke during the 10:30 a.m. press conference and that there were not two packages at the facility.
Chief McManus is urging people not to panic, but to stay cautious.
He said more security could be possible with the upcoming NCAA tournament taking place in downtown San Antonio.
10:15 a.m.
During a media briefing, Schertz Chief of Police Michael Hansen said an explosion was called into the Schertz Police Department at 12:25 a.m.
Members of SAPD, ATF and FBI arrived at the Schertz FedEx facility shortly after.
The package exploded when it was traveling down an automated conveyor belt, Hansen said.
Hansen also said that he’s confident the facility and Schertz area are not a target and that the area is secure.
The FedEx facility has been evacuated and unidentified parcel delivery services are working with FedEx to deliver packages that are still currently at the facility, said FBI Assistant special agent in charge James Smith.
A woman was treated for ringing ears as a result of the explosion, Hansen said.
APD responded to 420 suspicious package calls between 8 a.m. yesterday and 8 a.m. today bringing the total number to 1,257 calls since approximately 8 a.m. on March 12.
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 20, 2018
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Here's the latest on the explosions in Schertz and Austin according to the Associated Press:
8:35 a.m.
The White House says the federal government is doing "whatever is necessary" to apprehend whomever is responsible for a series of explosions in Austin, Texas.
Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders tells Fox News Channel that President Donald Trump is aware of the situation.
Sanders says federal authorities are working closely with local authorities and have offered their full support and cooperation "to make sure we're doing whatever is necessary and whatever is possible" to stop the explosions and find whomever is responsible.
8:30 a.m.
A heavy law enforcement presence is surrounding the FedEx distribution center in Schertz.
The area around the facility is heavily industrial and features warehouses and parking lots empty except for parked trailers.
A woman who identified herself as an FedEx employee emerged from the shipping facility wrapped in a blanket as the sun rose Tuesday and said she'd been evacuated. She declined to give her name.
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(Original Story)
One person was hurt when a package exploded at the FedEx ground distribution facility in Schertz overnight, authorities said Tuesday.
The incident occurred just before 12:30 a.m. at the facility located in the 9900 block of Doerr Lane, which is located not far from Highway 3009 and Nacogdoches Road.
According to officials, the medium-sized package contained metal shrapnel and nails and was headed to Austin when it exploded on a conveyer track, injuring one person. The explosion comes as authorities search for answers regarding a series of explosions that have shaken Austin.
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Special Agent Michelle Lee of the FBI in San Antonio told the Associated Press on Tuesday that it is still early in the investigation, adding that “it would be silly for us not to admit that we suspect it’s related” to the four Austin bombings that have killed two people and injured four others since March 2. The latest bombing in Austin injured two men on Sunday.
Roughly 75 employees were working at the processing plant when the package exploded. The person hurt sustained a concussion-like injury from the detonation of the package, officials said.
Presently the FBI is leading an investigation that includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as Schertz police and the San Antonio Police Department bomb squad. Officials said the scene has been secured.
More than 350 FBI agents have been brought in to help with the investigation into the bombings in Austin and a $115,000 reward is available for any information that leads to an arrest.
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Bexar County Fire Marshal Chris Lopez reminds residents of possible indicators of package bombs:
- Unexpected or unknown packages
- Lack of a return address
- Excessive postage
- Packages marked “Personal” or “Private”
- Packages containing an irregular shape or surface
- Packages with excessive tape or protruding wires
- Packages with unusual markings, stains, spots or emitting unusual odors
The one person injured was treated at the scene.
Package explosion at FedEx plant in Schertz around 12:30 this morning, 75 employees working at time. One injured but ok. #KSATnews
— Joshua Skurnik (@JoshSkurnikTV) March 20, 2018
This is a developing story. Stay with KSAT 12 both online and on-air for more information.