The suspected Texas serial bomber has been identified by US media, citing police sources, as 24-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt.

The young man blamed for sparking terror within the city of Austin by sending a series of explosive packages that killed two and injured half-a-dozen others, killed himself in the early hours by the side of a highway – apparently by detonating a device – as authorities closed in on him.

“The suspect is deceased and has significant injuries from a blast that occurred from detonating a bomb inside his vehicle,” Austin Police Chief Brian Manley told reporters near the scene.

Austin bombings suspect dead Show all 23 1 /23 Austin bombings suspect dead Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Austin bombings suspect named as 24-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt by Texas police. Facebook Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 The bomber's car at the scene surrounded by law enforcement vehicles after he detonated a device following them closing in on him. kvue Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Officials investigate the scene. AP Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Law enforcement officials search for evidence at the location where the suspected package bomber was killed in suburban Austin. Getty Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 The Austin bomber's car after he detonated the device. kvue Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski, Interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs speak to the media as law enforcement investigates the scene. EPA Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 The scene after the Austin bomber detonated a device in his car. kvue Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Emergency responders investigate the scene. EPA Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Police vehicles are seen just south of the Woodspring Suite and Red Roof Inn along the interstate as police investigate. The bombing suspect was identified by police and according to media reports he allegedly blew himself up after being confronted by police after being sought in connection with more than five bombings across the Austin, Texas area. EPA Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Officials work at the scene early on Wednesday. AP Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Austin Police and ATF section off parts of Slaughter Lane. Rex Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Grocery carts block a vacated Randall's along Slaughter and Brodie Lanes near the scene of the explosion. Rex Austin bombings suspect dead March 21 Officials work at the scene. AP Austin bombings suspect dead March 20 Law enforcement personnel are seen gathering evidence outside a FedEx Store which was closed for investigation after a fifth bombing in Austin. There has been five bombings in the month of March in neighborhoods across Austin and police think they are all related. Reuters Austin bombings suspect dead March 20 Caity Colvard gets emotional as she watches a massive response of law enforcement officers at a bomb explosion site at a Goodwill store in Austin. Emergency teams were responding to another reported explosion in Texas' capital, this one at a Goodwill store in the southern part of the city. AP Austin bombings suspect dead March 20 FBI agents carrying items out in paper bags and boxes as they exit the FedEx store. EPA Austin bombings suspect dead March 20 Damage from a bomb blast that killed a man earlier in the month is pictured at the front porch of a home on Haverford Drive in Austin. Reuters Austin bombings suspect dead March 19 FBI and police investigate a bombing at the intersection of Republic of Texas and Mission Oaks boulevards. Rex Austin bombings suspect dead March 19 Investigators work at the scene of a bombing on Dawn Song Drive in the Travis Country neighborhood. Rex Austin bombings suspect dead March 19 A police crime scene van arrives near the site of the explosion. Police warned nearby residents to remain indoors overnight as investigators looked for possible links to other deadly package bombings elsewhere in the city this month. AP Austin bombings suspect dead March 19 Police tape marks off the neighborhood where the package bomb went off. It is the fourth similar bombing in three weeks in the Austin area. Getty Austin bombings suspect dead March 19 Austin police chief Brian Manley talks with FBI Special Agent after explosion on Sunday. AP Austin bombings suspect dead March 18 Police maintain a cordon near the site of the explosion in southwest Austin. Reuters

Police had tracked the suspect, who was white and lived in the town of Pflugerville, to a hotel in Round Rock, part of the Austin metropolitan area, according to Mr Manley.

The bombings left a 39-year-old father and a 17-year-old boy dead, while a woman in her 40s and a 75-year-old woman were critically injured. Two men in their 20s were wounded in the fourth attack, and a FedEx employee suffered a concussion in the fifth explosion which happened at a sorting office in the city of San Antonio, about 100 miles from Austin.

US media has identified the suspect as Mark Anthony Conditt (NBC)

The Austin American-Statesman newspaper said Conditt was unemployed and had received a degree from Austin Community College’s Northridge Campus. He had worked at Crux Semiconductor in Austin as a “purchasing Agent/buyer/shipping and receiving”.

The suspect appeared to have only a modest social media presence. However, his mother, Danene Conditt, posted a picture in February 2013 to commemorate her son’s completing his high school education.

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“I officially graduated Mark from High School on Friday. 1 down, 3 to go. He has 30 hrs of college credit too, but he’s thinking of taking some time to figure out what he wants to do….maybe a mission trip,” she wrote. “Thanks to everyone for your support over the years.”

Earlier, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the suspect was a resident of Pflugerville, where he lived with two roommates.

Mr Abbott told Fox News the young man did not have a criminal record and had not served in the military.

“We don’t know if there are any other bombs out there and, if so, how many or where they may be,” said Mr Abbott, who warned people not to pick up suspicious packages.

“We need to go throughout the day and make sure we rule out whether anybody else was involved in this process.”