Authorities said the suspect behind the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville lost his life in the blast and allegedly was working alone.
Officials used multiple identification methods to find the name of the suspect, Anthony Quinn Warner. However, they said that they have not yet discovered the motive behind the attack. Many people have already sent tips and leads to authorities who have concluded Quinn was alone in perpetrating his crime.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said, “Nashville is considered safe. There are no known threats against this city.”
The attack resulted in three injured individuals and dozens of damaged buildings during the early morning. Several Southern states experienced cellphone service and police and hospital communications disruptions.
Sixty-three-year-old Warner had experience with electronics and alarms, as written on his public records. Additionally, the suspect previously worked as a computer consultant for a Nashville realtor. Authorities considered Warner as a person of interest in regards to the bombing when they discovered evidence that pointed to him.
Federal agents searched through Warner’s alleged Nashville property, where in 2019, Google Maps captured the image of a recreational vehicle similar to that used in the bombing. However, officials did not see the vehicle on the property.
Authorities revealed their identification of Warner as a suspect was based on several factors, including DNA they found at the blast site. Previously, investigators revealed that they found human remains in the vicinity of the incident.
Tennessee Highway Patrol investigators also recovered parts from an RV in the wreckage of the explosion. They were able to match the identification plate of the vehicle in the blast site to one registered to Warner.
Special Agent Douglas Korneski, who is in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Memphis field office, said, “We’re still following leads, but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved. We’ve reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle. We saw no other people involved.”
On Friday, police responded to reports of shots fired and immediately found an RV that had a recorded warning about the bomb, which was set to explode after 15 minutes. When the warning stopped, Clark’s hit “Downtown” started playing, and the RV exploded shortly after.
Forensic analysts meticulously reviewed evidence collected from the bomb site to find evidence on what kind of explosive was used. Investigators were also analyzing Warner’s digital footprint, financial history, and recent deed transfer of the Nashville home raided previously.
On Sunday, Korneski said officials were considering any and all motives and questioned Warner’s acquaintances. Authorities wanted to discover what prompted the suspect to conduct the terrifying crime, KRON4 reported.
Police officers who responded to reports of the blast recalled their experiences during the incident. Officer James Wells suffered minor hearing loss due to the strength of the blast. He said, “This is going to tie us together forever, for the rest of my life. Christmas will never be the same.”
Officer Brenna Hosey said she and several of her colleagues visited about seven apartment buildings to notify residents to evacuate the area. Hosey vividly remembered going to the residence of a mother and her four children. She said, “I don’t have kids, but I have cousins and nieces, people who I love who are small.”
