Blast that rocked Texas FedEx facility may narrow search for Austin bomber

Show Caption Hide Caption FBI: Schertz, Texas bomb may be linked to Austin bombings Another bomb has exploded, this time, at a Fed Ex facility just outside of San Antonio, injuring one woman.

AUSTIN — A bomb blast that rocked a Texas FedEx facility near San Antonio on Tuesday widened the destructive path of a serial bomber but provided "extensive evidence" that may have narrowed the manhunt for the killer.

The package bomb that exploded near San Antonio was mailed from Austin, where four bombings this month have killed two people, wounded four and stumped hundreds of local, state and federal law enforcement officers. One worker suffered minor injuries in Tuesday's blast, authorities said.

Authorities confirmed Tuesday evening that the explosion in Schertz, about 20 miles northeast of San Antonio and 65 miles south of Austin and another package found at a separate FedEx center in Austin were tied to the string of bombings that have left the area on edge.

The second package had a bomb inside but was "disrupted" by law enforcement before it exploded, the FBI said in a statement.

"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," FedEx said in a statement.

The explosion rocked the facility at 12:25 a.m., prompting a massive response of Schertz and state police, agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as well as SWAT and bomb squads from the San Antonio Police Department.

Schertz Police Chief Michael Hansen said the explosion came from a package on a conveyor belt in the sorting area of the facility. The injured worker was treated and released at the scene, he said.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told KXAN-TV the package that exploded in Schertz was shipped from — and bound for — Austin. Investigators closed off an Austin-area FedEx store where they believe the bomb was sent to the distribution center.

Later that morning, a second package was found at a FedEx distribution center in Austin. It was reported as a "suspicious package." Authorities responded and found a device inside but were able to disrupt it.

No one was injured in the incident but the facility was evacuated.

Bryan Jaimes, 19, was among the FedEx workers told to evacuate the Austin center. Jaimes said he had no time to grab his jacket and cellphone and was told he could not take his car from the lot.

“I’m just glad I didn’t handle that package,” Jaimes said. “I could have been hurt, maybe even killed.”

More: Austin bombings: What we know now, including the blast near San Antonio

More: 'Serial bomber' blamed in Austin explosions after 4th blast rocks city

Authorities have said the four explosions this month most likely were connected. The most recent blast in Austin seriously wounded two men late Sunday.

“Clearly, we are dealing with a serial bomber,” Police Chief Brian Manley said after that attack. He encouraged residents to call 911 if they see any suspicious packages, bags or backpacks.

“For us, it’s personal,” Manley said in remarks carried over the city’s website. “This is home. We are committed. We are driven. We want to solve this because this is our community. But I see the same drive and same dedication in the men and women of the federal agencies that are here.”

The result has been more than 1,000 calls from the unnerved residents of Austin. A few hours after authorities cleared the residential community where Sunday’s blast happened, Austin police dispatched a SWAT unit to an apartment complex and warned people on Twitter to stay clear of the area.

The late-night notice, which ordinarily would have only been picked up by news junkies and local media outlets, was retweeted nearly 400 times with breathless speculation that the bomber might finally be cornered.

After about an hour at the scene, police announced that it was nothing more than a domestic disturbance involving an armed man who threatened to set fire to the apartment complex.

Manley also said 500 law enforcement officials working the case have found people of interest but no clear suspects. Authorities desperate for a break have asked residents to review home security videos for clues.

In Washington, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said she discussed the case with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and FedEx officials.

“We are working very hard on these tragic events," she said. "We’re working with the FBI and we’ve offered any additional investigative support that we might have."

Abbott said the state is committing $265,000 in emergency funding for police and the state bomb response team.

“I want to ensure everyone in the Austin region and the entire state that Texas is committed to providing every resource necessary to make sure these crimes are solved as quickly as possible,” Abbott said. “I offer my sincere thanks to law enforcement at the local, state and federal level for their efforts to ensure that those responsible for these attacks are apprehended and brought to justice.”

Bacon reported from McLean, Va. Contributing: Eliza Collins, USA TODAY