USA: Police respond to explosion in Austin (Texas) March 18 /update 1

Event

Police are responding to an explosion in Austin (Texas) that occurred at approximately 21:24 (local time) on Sunday, March 18. According to initial reports, two people were wounded in the blast in the 8400 block of Dawn Song Drive. Officials are asking for residents in the area to stay in their homes until further notice. An investigation is ongoing.

Context

It is unclear if Sunday night's incident is related to an ongoing investigation into a series of package bombings in Austin that have killed two people and wounded two others. On March 12, two suspected package bombs detonated in the city. The first bombing took place on March 2. None of the package bombs were delivered by a mail service.

Advice

Individuals in Austin are advised to monitor the situation, report any suspicious activity or behavior to the police, and to not open any unexpected packages. Police are asking residents to call 911 if they receive a package they are not expecting or which looks suspicious.