Once again Texas is in the national news, and once again it is NOT in a positive vein. Still feeling the stunning shock of the Sutherland Springs mass shooting just last fall, we are now hearing the news from Austin of the serial bomber who, since March 2, has killed two people, and seriously injured a total of four others, with the two injuries from a bomb that exploded last night.
The people of Austin, particularly of East Austin, are no doubt terrified by the recent string of bombings in that city, and who can blame them? A strange box or package could show up on a person's porch at any time. Some (I should say "most") of the news channels covering these events are putting a "racial" spin on this situation at this early juncture in the investigation, when in fact there is no information (at least information open to the public) that indicates the explosive devices are targeting Black persons. In fact, the latest victims were both White men.
If these devices are all the work of one person, it would appear that the person is not only targeting specific individuals, but is now targeting random persons as well. This person is a true terrorist, and most likely NOT of "Middle-Eastern descent." Of course time will tell if this terrorist is targeting specific persons (who happen to be Black), Black residents of a SPECIFIC section of the city, or if he or she is targeting anyone in Austin, indiscriminantly.
I hope the police can put the evidence together pretty quickly, because whatever the motive, the fact is that there is a person placing improvised explosives in locations where people are finding them, and this person has no compunction for making devices powerful enough to kill. The bomb-maker has sufficient knowledge to create an explosive device which he or she can safely transport, yet which will explode upon being moved or opened by anyone who finds the device.
Even more frightening, the latest device (which exploded last night) was triggered by a "tripwire" that was strung from a box beside a fence to a bench on a public sidewalk. The victims unfortunately detonated the device when they inadvertently pulled the tripwire. In that instance, it appeared that the bomber's "target" was simply whoever tripped the detonator first. It happened to have been two men, but it could have just as easily been a child or children running by, or riding by on a bicycle.
Hopefully people in Austin, particularly East Austin, will not open strange boxes, packages, backpacks, suitcases, or any other containers that simply "appear" at their doorsteps. Since the bomber has changed detonation and placement methods, he or she might also send "mail bombs" as well. So it pays to not open larger pieces of mail if the package looks suspicious, especially if you know you did not order something, therefore you are not expecting a large envelope or other large postal delivery. The infamous Unabomber, for instance, used mail bombs to exact a fearsome toll on some of his victims.
Remember, in light of the events in Austin, if you are not expecting a delivery (you did not order something), and you find some kind of strange package on your porch or at your door step one morning, do not move, kick, or pick up the package. If the package has a name or an address and it is not YOUR name or address, there is NO REASON to open the package. Remember, at least two of the detonations in Austin happened when people moved the packages, either to take them inside the home, or to deliver the package to the "right person." Do not take a chance - DO NOT MOVE THE PACKAGE!!! Get everyone out of the house (by a different exit if possible) and meet the police at a safe location.
By the way, other than receiving a package you are not expecting, how do you know if a package is "suspicious." First, again if you are not expecting a package, you are probably NOT going to receive a legitimate package. So any package you are not expecting is suspicous, especially if the package is waiting for you as soon as you go out your door. Another red flag is handwritten addressing, rather than printed lettering. A very LARGE red flag is the fact that there is no return address on the box or object. The same is true for mail. Handwritten wording on an envelope, coupled with no return address, should cause you to be instantly alarmed. CALL THE POLICE - DO NOT OPEN THE ENVELOPE OR PACKAGE.
By the way, when calling the police to report the suspicious package, DO NOT STAND NEAR THE OBJECT. You should already have evacuated everyone from your house and moved them at least a couple of hundred yards away. And especially...DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE STANDING NEAR THE PACKAGE!! The electronic feedback from the telephone could detonate the explosive.
I know, you must be saying ...Good Grief!...this happened in Austin! I live a hundred miles away. Yes, I know, you don't think this could happen in your neighborhood. Unfortunately this, like any other crime, can happen anywhere at anytime. So if you see a suspicious package, do the safe thing and call the police. They are paid to handle this very thing, and they are able to call in explosives experts to do the dangerous work. But what if it is just a package of clothes my sister sent and did not tell me about it? I will be embarrassed if I call the police and it ISN'T a bomb.
Nonsense! Call the police. As I said above, the police will have experts, or will summon expert assistance. And, trust me on this, the Bomb Squad are aching to get to "dress up," to deploy, and to practice their technique in attempting to determine whether or not the package is an explosive, and in either disarming the device, transporting it out of the area, or detonating it if there is no way to safely transport the object.
The likelyhood of someone sending an explosive device to you, or placing such on your property, is slim to nearly none...BUT...those were the same odds for the victims of the Austin bomber, until he sent each of these persons a bomb. So don't let the odds lull you into a false sense of security. If you ever find such a package on your property or in your mail, don't decide that "oh, that's stupid...who would send me a bomb? And the police will laugh at me if it is not a real bomb." No one had ever sent a bomb to any of the Austin victims...until he did!
Again - List of RED FLAGS
1. A package mysteriously appears on your porch and you are not expecting it.
2. There is either no name or address on the package, or there is no RETURN information.
3. You receive a large mail item that has no return address.
4. You find ANY package, container, box, large envelope, etc., on your property.
Don't move, touch, kick the object, and don't use your cell phone near the object. Get everyone (including yourself) out of your house and away from the object. ONLY THEN would you call the police.
As for the bomb that was detonated via a trip wire, we can only be vigilant to a degree. That method of detonation is so unusual in the United States that I can't really offer a red flag warning here. The level of awareness needed to be watching for a tripwire 24/7 is unrealistic for most of us, and is unnecessary 99.9 percent of the time.
Stay safe and vigilant.
May God bless all of you, and may God speed the capture of this new terrorist.
The people of Austin, particularly of East Austin, are no doubt terrified by the recent string of bombings in that city, and who can blame them? A strange box or package could show up on a person's porch at any time. Some (I should say "most") of the news channels covering these events are putting a "racial" spin on this situation at this early juncture in the investigation, when in fact there is no information (at least information open to the public) that indicates the explosive devices are targeting Black persons. In fact, the latest victims were both White men.
If these devices are all the work of one person, it would appear that the person is not only targeting specific individuals, but is now targeting random persons as well. This person is a true terrorist, and most likely NOT of "Middle-Eastern descent." Of course time will tell if this terrorist is targeting specific persons (who happen to be Black), Black residents of a SPECIFIC section of the city, or if he or she is targeting anyone in Austin, indiscriminantly.
I hope the police can put the evidence together pretty quickly, because whatever the motive, the fact is that there is a person placing improvised explosives in locations where people are finding them, and this person has no compunction for making devices powerful enough to kill. The bomb-maker has sufficient knowledge to create an explosive device which he or she can safely transport, yet which will explode upon being moved or opened by anyone who finds the device.
Even more frightening, the latest device (which exploded last night) was triggered by a "tripwire" that was strung from a box beside a fence to a bench on a public sidewalk. The victims unfortunately detonated the device when they inadvertently pulled the tripwire. In that instance, it appeared that the bomber's "target" was simply whoever tripped the detonator first. It happened to have been two men, but it could have just as easily been a child or children running by, or riding by on a bicycle.
Hopefully people in Austin, particularly East Austin, will not open strange boxes, packages, backpacks, suitcases, or any other containers that simply "appear" at their doorsteps. Since the bomber has changed detonation and placement methods, he or she might also send "mail bombs" as well. So it pays to not open larger pieces of mail if the package looks suspicious, especially if you know you did not order something, therefore you are not expecting a large envelope or other large postal delivery. The infamous Unabomber, for instance, used mail bombs to exact a fearsome toll on some of his victims.
Remember, in light of the events in Austin, if you are not expecting a delivery (you did not order something), and you find some kind of strange package on your porch or at your door step one morning, do not move, kick, or pick up the package. If the package has a name or an address and it is not YOUR name or address, there is NO REASON to open the package. Remember, at least two of the detonations in Austin happened when people moved the packages, either to take them inside the home, or to deliver the package to the "right person." Do not take a chance - DO NOT MOVE THE PACKAGE!!! Get everyone out of the house (by a different exit if possible) and meet the police at a safe location.
By the way, other than receiving a package you are not expecting, how do you know if a package is "suspicious." First, again if you are not expecting a package, you are probably NOT going to receive a legitimate package. So any package you are not expecting is suspicous, especially if the package is waiting for you as soon as you go out your door. Another red flag is handwritten addressing, rather than printed lettering. A very LARGE red flag is the fact that there is no return address on the box or object. The same is true for mail. Handwritten wording on an envelope, coupled with no return address, should cause you to be instantly alarmed. CALL THE POLICE - DO NOT OPEN THE ENVELOPE OR PACKAGE.
By the way, when calling the police to report the suspicious package, DO NOT STAND NEAR THE OBJECT. You should already have evacuated everyone from your house and moved them at least a couple of hundred yards away. And especially...DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE WHILE STANDING NEAR THE PACKAGE!! The electronic feedback from the telephone could detonate the explosive.
I know, you must be saying ...Good Grief!...this happened in Austin! I live a hundred miles away. Yes, I know, you don't think this could happen in your neighborhood. Unfortunately this, like any other crime, can happen anywhere at anytime. So if you see a suspicious package, do the safe thing and call the police. They are paid to handle this very thing, and they are able to call in explosives experts to do the dangerous work. But what if it is just a package of clothes my sister sent and did not tell me about it? I will be embarrassed if I call the police and it ISN'T a bomb.
Nonsense! Call the police. As I said above, the police will have experts, or will summon expert assistance. And, trust me on this, the Bomb Squad are aching to get to "dress up," to deploy, and to practice their technique in attempting to determine whether or not the package is an explosive, and in either disarming the device, transporting it out of the area, or detonating it if there is no way to safely transport the object.
The likelyhood of someone sending an explosive device to you, or placing such on your property, is slim to nearly none...BUT...those were the same odds for the victims of the Austin bomber, until he sent each of these persons a bomb. So don't let the odds lull you into a false sense of security. If you ever find such a package on your property or in your mail, don't decide that "oh, that's stupid...who would send me a bomb? And the police will laugh at me if it is not a real bomb." No one had ever sent a bomb to any of the Austin victims...until he did!
Again - List of RED FLAGS
1. A package mysteriously appears on your porch and you are not expecting it.
2. There is either no name or address on the package, or there is no RETURN information.
3. You receive a large mail item that has no return address.
4. You find ANY package, container, box, large envelope, etc., on your property.
Don't move, touch, kick the object, and don't use your cell phone near the object. Get everyone (including yourself) out of your house and away from the object. ONLY THEN would you call the police.
As for the bomb that was detonated via a trip wire, we can only be vigilant to a degree. That method of detonation is so unusual in the United States that I can't really offer a red flag warning here. The level of awareness needed to be watching for a tripwire 24/7 is unrealistic for most of us, and is unnecessary 99.9 percent of the time.
Stay safe and vigilant.
May God bless all of you, and may God speed the capture of this new terrorist.
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