A large recreational vehicle exploded in downtown Nashville on Christmas Day, damaging three city blocks. Authorities say Anthony Quinn Warner, age 63, is believed to be responsible for the explosion and that he died in the explosion.
The blast, which police have called an “intentional act,” injured at least three people and destroyed 41 businesses and other buildings including an AT&T building, which knocked out phone service for days.
Early Friday, the vehicle announced a warning for people to evacuate with a recording of a computerized woman’s voice. This gave the Nashville Police time to evacuate the area or there would have been considerable loss of life.
Authorities said that they don’t believe there’s a current threat to Nashville. Federal agents searched Warner’s house on Saturday. A Google street view showed an RV parked in the backyard matching the description of the one police said was used in the bombing.
Human tissue was found after the explosion with DNA said to be a match of Warner, leading police to believe that Warner died in the blast.
After hearing the bomb notice, the police officer on the scene went to check for tags but saw nothing to identify the recreational vehicle, which had all its shades down to obstruct any view from the inside. Authorities heeded the warning and gave the order to evacuate.
U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Don Cochran said on Sunday in a press conference that Warner “is the bomber” and “was present when the bomb went off.”
Douglas Korneski, the FBI’s special agent in charge of the Memphis Field Office, said that there is no indication that anyone else was involved in the explosion.
Hours of video surveillance footage are being reviewed by investigators. Authorities said that this was used in making the determination that Warner was the lone individual involved in the bombing,
Korneski has called on anyone with information or who may have known Warner to contact authorities.
Investigators are looking at “any and all possible motives,” Korneski said.
Warner had lived at a home in Antioch, southeast of Nashville. That address was searched by agents with the FBI and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Saturday following the Christmas Day blast.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that he believed there was a connection between the bombing and the AT&T building nearby. The blast took down AT&T service in the region. The company said Sunday that it is still working to restore it.
