The serial bomber whose deadly attacks terrorised Austin, Texas, for weeks left a 25-minute video "confession" on a mobile phone found after he blew himself up yesterday as officers closed in to make an arrest, police said.
Mark Conditt, 23, from the suburb of Pflugerville, detailed how he made all seven bombs that have been accounted for - five that exploded; one that was recovered before it went off and a seventh that he detonated as officers rushed his vehicle early yesterday.
But the video failed to reveal a coherent motive for the attacks spread over the past three weeks, police said.
Austin police Chief Brian Manley told reporters:
"He does not at all mention anything about terrorism, nor does he mention anything about hate, but instead it is the outcry of a very challenged young man, talking about challenges in his personal life."
"I would classify this as a confession," the police chief said.
Conditt, who had never been in trouble with the law, killed two people and wounded five with a campaign of violence that began on 2 March, authorities said.
Based on their search of the suspect's home and his video statement, authorities said they felt confident that there were no other bombs and that the public was safe from further harm.
FBI special agent Christopher Combs said investigators believe the suspect would have continued his attacks had he not been apprehended.
Police recovered a "target list" of addresses for future bombings, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing US Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
Even so, the video gave no explanation for the individuals and addresses singled out as recipients of the bombs that were planted or shipped, Mr Manley said.
Police previously said they had considered the possibility that the attacks were racially motivated, noting that the first several victims, including the two who died, were either African-American or Hispanic.
Read more:
Suspected Texas bomber dies in blast
US police suspect serial bomber behind Texas blasts
According to Mr Manley, Conditt said he believed police "were getting very close to him," and he was right. Authorities filed a criminal complaint and issued an arrest warrant around that time.
By yesterday morning, police had tracked Conditt to a hotel and were waiting for the arrival of tactical units and equipment before they planned to make an arrest, Mr Manley said. But then Conditt drove away.
Police followed and decided to stop him before he reached the motorway. Just as officers approached the vehicle, the explosion went off, Mr Manley said. There was also some police shooting.
Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore told reporters:
"This can never be called a happy ending, but it's a damn good one for the people of this community, the people of the state of Texas."
Residents in Austin, a city of one million people and a liberal enclave of university students and tech companies, voiced relief that the hunt for the serial bomber was over.
