The individual responsible for the car bomb that exploded in downtown Nashville on Christmas day died in the explosion, FBI officials announced Sunday.
According to an announcement from FBI Memphis Special Agent Jason Pack, investigators analyzed human remains recovered from the scene of the blast site and identified Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, of Antioch, Tenn.
“A key break in the investigation occurred when the Tennessee Highway Patrol was able to locate and recover the VIN (vehicle identification number) from the suspect’s van,” the release stated. “That information, along with crucial tips from the public, led to the home of the suspect in Antioch.”
The Metro Nashville Police Department posted a video of the explosion on Twitter Sunday, showing the blast that took place at 2nd Avenue North and Commerce Street.
The FBI and ATF are continuing to salvage and examine evidence, and while a motive has yet to be determined, officials believe Warner acted alone.
“We’re still following leads, but right now there is no indication that any other persons were involved,” said Douglas Korneski, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis field office. “We’ve reviewed hours of security video surrounding the recreation vehicle. We saw no other people involved.”
Law enforcement were able to identify Warner and his remains less than two days after the explosion rocked downtown Nashville’s Christmas holiday.
On Friday, a recorded announcement emanated from an apparently abandoned RV, warning bystanders to evacuate the area.
“If you can hear this message, evacuate now,” the repeated announcement advised.
The audio briefly switched to Petula Clark’s 1964 song “Downtown” just before the explosion.
Warner’s car bomb damaged an AT&T building, causing widespread cellphone service outages, as well as issues with police and hospital communications in a number of Southern states, Politico reported.
Video of the explosion showed black smoke and flames engulfed one of downtown Nashville’s favorite tourist scenes, filled with bars, restaurants and stores.
“Nashville is considered safe,” Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said during a news conference Sunday morning. “There are no known threats against this city.”
One official speaking on a condition of anonymity told The Associated Press that federal agents were still pursuing a number of leads and theories, including that the AT&T building was the target of the attack.
FBI Memphis Public Affairs Officer Elizabeth Clement Webb released a statement asking that any images, videos or information related to the blast be submitted at tips.fbi.gov or provided via 1-800-CALL-FBI.
