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Denver-area family of Austin bombing suspect releases statement

Mark Conditt, of Pflugerville, Texas, is accused of setting off a string of explosives in the Austin area.
Mark Anthony Conditt (Austin Community College)

LAKEWOOD, Colo. - Family of the Austin bombing suspect has released a statement to KHOU's sister station 9NEWS.

On Wednesday authorities identified the suspect as Mark Conditt, 23, of Pflugerville, Texas.

Related: ‘Quiet and introverted’: What we know about Austin bombings suspect

9NEWS confirmed extended family of Conditt lives in Lakewood and received a statement from the family that reads:

We are devastated and broken at the news that our family member could be involved in such an awful way. We had no idea of the darkness that Mark must have been in. Our family is a normal family in every way. We love, we pray, and we try to inspire and serve others. Right now our prayers are for the families who lost loved ones, for those impacted in any way, and for the soul of our Mark. We are grieving and in shock. Please respect our privacy as we deal with this terrible, terrible knowledge and try to support each other at this time.
Credit: Custom

Conditt was described as being “quiet, introverted and reserved” by the owner of an engineering and manufacturing shop who employed the 24-year-old for four years.

Conditt, of Pflugerville, has been identified as the suspect in the string of package bombings that claimed two lives and injured at least four others. Conditt died early Wednesday after detonating a device and killing himself during a confrontation with Austin Police and FBI in Round Rock.

Conditt was a student at Austin Community College from 2010 to 2012, a representative confirmed to KVUE. He did not graduate, the representative said.

Crux Manufacturing hired Conditt about four years ago when he was 19. Conditt's employer said he “seemed like a smart kid who showed a lot of promise.” The owner said Conditt did a little bit of everything, from purchasing to sales, in their turnkey engineering and machine shop operation. The company makes semi-conductor parts for several different industries.

“He was very quiet and introverted,” the owner said.

TIMELINE: Austin bomber confirmed dead

The Austin-American Statesman reported Conditt’s mother, identified as Danene Conditt, posted a photo of him in February 2013 when he finished high school.

“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. Thanks to everyone for your support over the years.”

Victor Gonzales, the mayor of Pflugerville, told the Associated Press that Conditt lived about two blocks from him.

Fralen Allen, who works near Conditt's home, told USA Today that she was stunned that the quiet community would be a crime scene.

“I’m sickened,” she said. “Surely in hindsight someone must have known and maybe this could have been prevented.”

Another neighbor described Conditt as a nice kid.

“I know this is a cliché but I just can’t imagine that,” she said to the Statesman. She spoke on the condition of anonymity and whose children grew up playing with Conditt on Pfluger Street.

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