FBI: Nashville bomber sent viewpoint materials to acquaintances across US

The downtown Nashville explosion accused sent materials about his disturbing viewpoints ahead of the attack to acquaintances, federal investigators told sources of The Associated Press. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI’s) Special Agent Jason Pack said in a statement that the officers were “aware that the suspect had sent materials which espoused his viewpoints to several acquaintances throughout the country.” The 63-year old’s motives for the attack, however, have not yet been made clear. Officials leading probe asked anyone who received these materials from Anthony Warner to contact them by making immediate calls at 1-800 digits provided by FBI, Metro Police revealed to the agencies’ sources. 

The accused had blasted the RV camper van in downtown Nashville in front of the commercial AT&T telecommunications building on December 25, shortly after broadcasting a warning message to the local residents. The blast, which the Nashville Police Department called “an intentional act”, shook the city’s business district around 6:30 a.m. crumbling building structures, setting vehicles on fire, and causing destruction to public property.

[FBI released file photo of Anthony Quinn Warner. Credit: AP]

[A vehicle destroyed in the explosion remains on the street. Credit: AP]

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Accused acted alone: Police

At least 3 were reported non critically injured from the explosion. The cops responded to a 911 emergency call reporting the gunshots fired in the street around 5:30 a.m. and arrived at the scene to find an RV parked, warning the public to evacuate the area ahead of an imminent explosion. Later, the audio blare switched to a recording of Petula Clark’s 1964 hit Downtown ahead of the explosion that rocked  2nd Ave N, with possible human remains flying across the blast site. 

Later, the police released images of the RV from the blast scene and urged the eyewitnesses to come forward. Footages showed that the sirens went off and water jets blasted from the pipeline systems gushing at the office building walls, and buildings had cracked up. Officials later identified suspect Anthony Quinn Warner, aged 63, responsible for setting off a bomb inside the recreational vehicle. The accused blew himself up in the explosion, and according to police’s statement had acted solitary. 

(with inputs from AP)

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(Image Credit: Twitter/@MNPDNashville)