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FOX NEWS FIRST: Austin, Texas serial bombing suspect reportedly dead; Trump jabs 'Pelosi Dems'

By Fox News
Published | Updated

Texas troopers help redirect traffic near the site of another explosion, Tuesday, March 20, 2018, in Austin, Texas. Emergency teams were responding to another reported explosion in Texas' capital, this one at a Goodwill store in the southern part of the city. (Jan Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP) (Austin American-Statesman)

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Developing now, Wednesday, March 21, 2018

  • The serial bombing suspect in the string of attacks in the Austin, Texas area is dead, according to reports
  • President Trump blasted 'Pelosi Democrats,' 'low IQ' Maxine Waters and Hillary Clinton and predicted Republicans will maintain their majority in the House at a fundraising dinner Tuesday
  • Facebook executives may appear on Capitol Hill as early as Wednesday to face questions on alleged exploitation of user data
  • Gov. Bruce Rauner and J.B. Pritzker win their Illinois primaries, will face off in the Illinois gubernatorial election
  • A Maryland officer is being hailed as hero for his quick response to a school shooting that ended almost as soon as it began
  • Former FBI Director James Comey will sit down for an interview on "Special Report" on April 26, Fox News anchor Bret Baier announced

THE LEAD STORY – AUSTIN, TEXAS SERIAL BOMBING SUSPECT REPORTEDLY DEAD: The suspect in the serial bombings that have terrorized Austin, Texas for almost three weeks is dead, according to news reports ... Local Austin news outlets reported that there was a "police-involved shooting" as authorities pursued the suspect. According to reports, the suspect may killed himself by detonating a device as police closed in.

The apparent end to the manhunt for the alleged serial bomber came after a frightening Tuesday in Texas. Nerves were frayed on Tuesday night when box containing an “artillery simulator” at an Austin Goodwill location detonated, injuring an employee and triggering a bomb scare. The employee suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and authorities determined the Goodwill incident was not related to the previous bombings that had killed two people and severely wounded four others since March 2. Austin assistance police Chief Ely Reyes said there was "no reason to believe" the blast was a copycat incident.

Earlier Tuesday, a package exploded on a conveyor belt at a FedEx shipping center in Schertz, northeast of San Antonio, injuring a worker. In addition, the FBI said a suspicious package reported at a FedEx distribution center near the Austin airport "contained an explosive device." Authorities determined the two packages were connected to four earlier explosions that have occurred in the state throughout March.

TRUMP: 'THEY'RE ALL PELOSI DEMOCRATS': President Trump predicted Republicans "will keep the House majority" after November's midterm elections -- and warned of dire consequences if they didn't ... Speaking to the National Republican Congressional Committee's annual March fundraising dinner in Washington, the president warned that Democrats would block efforts to secure America's borders and try to raise taxes. He described House Democrats as being "way outside the American mainstream" and warned that they would "campaign as moderates" but "always govern as radicals." "They are all Pelosi Democrats," Trump said, referring to the House minority leader, "weak on crime, weak on terrorism and weak on national defense." Apart from Pelosi, Trump singled out frequent critic Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., who he described as a "low-IQ individual."

FACEBOOK EXECUTIVES MAY NOT HAVE MANY 'FRIENDS' ON CAPITOL HILL: Facebook has agreed to brief House Judiciary Committee staff as soon as Wednesday following the fallout over Cambridge Analytica’s use and exploitation of user data from some 50 million people ... The social media giant is facing a tough battle convincing lawmakers that users’ privacy concerns are of paramount importance to the company since it was revealed that a third party accessed and stored the data of millions of users, despite saying it deleted the information.

Political data analytics company Cambridge Analytica, known for ties to Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, is accused of improperly obtaining user data after the creator of a quiz that was taken by more than 270,000 people passed the data to the company.

Various media reports claim Facebook was aware of the situation in 2015.

GUBERNATORIAL SHOWDOWN SET IN ILLINOIS: In a race that came down to the wire, Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner pulled out a win over an insurgent state legislator in Tuesday’s Republican primary, while businessman J.B. Pritzker cruised to victory in the Democratic contest ... The Associated Press called the race for the 61-year-old Rauner, who defeated state Rep. Jeanne Ives to win the Republican nomination for a potential second term. Pritzker won 46 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary to best five other candidates, including State Sen. Daniel Biss (26 percent) and developer Chris Kennedy (24 percent), a son of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.

A HERO'S JUDGMENT: The school resource officer who is credited with saving lives because he engaged with an active shooter at a Maryland high school Tuesday has been recognized for his "exemplary judgment" before ... Blaine Gaskill, a St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office deputy with SWAT training who had been positioned at Great Mills High School since the beginning of the school year, immediately responded after being alerted of the shooting, officials said. "[Gaskill] pursued the shooter, engaged the shooter, fired a round at the shooter," Sheriff Tim Cameron said Tuesday, adding the deputy did everything he was supposed to do during an active shooter situation. Gaskill contained the situation within one minute of the initial shot being fired, officials said. It's unclear if his round hit the shooter.

SAVE THE DATE - JAMES COMEY TALKS TO FOX NEWS, APRIL 26: Former FBI Director James Comey will appear in-studio for an interview on "Special Report" on April 26 at 6 PM ET, Fox News anchor Bret Baier announced ... Comey, who was fired by President Donald Trump in 2017, will be releasing a new book, "A Higher Loyalty," on April 17. He has been vocal in recent days in support of his former deputy, Andrew McCabe, and on other pressing topics. Baier is currently soliciting viewer questions for Comey via Twitter. Tweet him at @BretBaier.

AS SEEN ON FOX NEWS

AMERICAN FUNDAMENTALS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES?: "We are looking at the death of America's fundamental freedoms." – Ann Coulter, on "Tucker Carlson Tonight," reacting to a Gallup study quoted by Tucker Carlson that revealed 53 percent of college students think having a more "diverse and inclusive society" is more important than the Constitutionally-protected right to free speech. WATCH

THE ARGUMENT AGAINST A SPECIAL COUNSEL: "The president's 100-percent right. There never should have been the appointment of a special counsel here. There was no probable cause at that point to believe that crimes had been committed. I've seen no evidence to suggest that crimes have been committed by the president." – Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, on "America's Newsroom," agreeing with President Trump that Special Counsel Robert Mueller never should have been appointed. WATCH

THE SWAMP

DeVos reveals plans for school safety panel, makes case for budget cuts.

Paul Ryan: 'Hollowed out' US military needs spending boost following recent crashes.

Mississippi governor to appoint Cindy Hyde-Smith to Thad Cochran's seat, report says.

Judge temporarily blocks Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban.

ACROSS THE NATION

'Affluenza' teen, now 20, nears prison release after DUI crash that killed four.

Illegal immigrants, who dodged California ICE raid after Dem mayor's tip-off, re-arrested for new crimes.

Spring nor'easter could dump up to 18 inches of snow, snarling Wednesday commute.

Suspected MS-13 killers charged in Virginia murder smile for mugshots.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA MADNESS

New York Times cuts negative reference to Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg from story.

NBC News' Andrea Mitchell inspired Democrats to offer Andrew McCabe a new gig.

Embarrassment for ABC as ‘American Idol’ reboot tanks amid Katy Perry nun dispute, Ryan Seacrest sex scandal.

MINDING YOUR BUSINESS

Fed eyes interest rate hike as market holds breath.

Ford will turn older cars into Wi-Fi hotspots.

Blackstone co-founder Peter Peterson dies at age 91

FOX NEWS OPINION

John Stossel: Pompeo, Trump and the Paris climate agreement.

Ron Hosko: In 2018 more police are being killed while protecting us.

America must stand up for persecuted Christians in Saudi Arabia, India and around the world.

HOLLYWOOD SQUARED

Jim Carrey's latest controversial painting goes after Mark Zuckerberg.

Tori Spelling: From super-rich Hollywood daddy's girl to overwhelmed, struggling reality star.

'Roseanne' teaser gives first look at 'Big Bang Theory' star Johnny Galecki's return.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?

Wreck of the USS Juneau, famous for the deaths of the 5 Sullivan brothers, discovered in Pacific.

What is an atmospheric river? Powerful storm to drench California.

Erotic model and sexologist claims nude jogging and skinny-dipping in cold water is key to looking young.

STAY TUNED

On Fox News: 

Fox & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: The latest on the investigation into a suspected serial bomber in the series of explosions in the Austin, Texas area. Mary Ann Mendoza, mother of a police officer killed by an illegal immigrant, weighs in on President Trump's push to end sanctuary laws; Ainsley Earhardt gets a firsthand look at the fight to end the opioid crisis. Are Christians losing their place in society? Brian Houston, global pastor of Hillsong Church, weighs in. And actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise announces a new way to help vets.

Tucker Carlson Tonight, 8 p.m. ET: In Part 3 of his "Men in America" series, Tucker looks at how the destruction of marriage and fatherhood impacts men.

On Fox Business:

Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Guests include: Rep. Chris Collins; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy; Major League Baseball great Mariano Rivera; James P. Hoffa, International Brotherhood Teamsters president; Sen. Orrin Hatch.

Varney & Co., 9 a.m. ET: Matt Shay: National Retail Federation CEO; Rep. Greg Walden, Energy and Commerce Committee chairman; Grant Quasha, CEO of Paringa Resources; singer-songwriter Don McLean

Cavuto: Coast to Coast, Noon ET: Pat Buchanan; Sen. Joni Ernst.

Lou Dobbs Tonight, 7 p.m. ET: Rep. Matt Gaetz.

On Fox News Radio:

The Fox News Rundown podcast: A string of package bombings have terrorized parts of Texas, killing and injuring recipients. Terry Turchie, former deputy assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI, helped catch the Unabomber and weighs in on the recent bombings. The Federal Reserve is expected to make a decision on raising interest rates. Fox Business Network's Adam Shapiro joins the podcast. Plus, commentary from economist Peter Morici.

Want the Fox News Rundown sent straight to your mobile device? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Stitcher.

The Tom Shillue Show, 3 p.m. ET: What does President Trump need to do to truly drain the swamp? Peter Schweizer, president of the Government Accountability Institute and author of the new book, "Secret Empires: How the American Political Class Hides Corruption and Enriches Family and Friends," joins Tom!

#OnThisDay

2006: The social media website Twitter is established with the sending of the first "tweet" by co-founder Jack Dorsey, who writes: "just setting up my twttr."

1963: The Alcatraz federal prison island in San Francisco Bay is emptied of its last inmates and closes at the order of Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

1952: The Moondog Coronation Ball, considered the first rock and roll concert, takes place at Cleveland Arena.

Fox News First is compiled by Fox News' Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Enjoy your day, and we'll see you in your inbox first thing Thursday morning.

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