Roommate was held until police found bomber

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — The mother of a man who lived with suspected serial bomber Mark Conditt in a home north of Austin says her son was kept in police custody until after Conditt died in a fatal confrontation with officers.

Jennifer Withers told The Associated Press her 26-year-old son, Collin Thomas, was walking from work Tuesday in Pflugerville to the house he and another man shared with Conditt when a group of officers “flew at him.”

She said Thomas, who is black, was questioned about the bombings and held overnight. Conditt died after detonating a bomb as police were about to arrest him. Thomas was eventually released.

Austin police spokeswoman Anna Sabana said Thomas and Conditt’s other roommate have not been charged.