Authorities identified Anthony Quinn Warner as the Nashville suicide-bomber, paranoia over 5G technology may led to the bombing
Federal authorities on Sunday identified Anthony Quinn Warner as the Nashville suicide-bomber after matching DNA remains found at the scene.
Forensic analysts successfully matched the DNA taken from the explosion site to the 63-year-old Antioch resident, according to the Tenessee Bureau of Investigation.
“We’ve come to the conclusion that an individual named Anthony Warner is the bomber. He was present when the bomb went off and then he perished,” U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Don Cochran said during a news conference.
Early Christmas morning, Nashville officers responded to reports of gunshots on Second Street, where they found an RV broadcasting an evacuation message. Police believe the gunshots were part of the recording, which lasted 15 minutes.
Officers at the scene immediately knocked on nearby properties’ doors to warn residents to gather family members and evacuate. Some officers also went back to their cars to gather heavier tactical gear.
The RV reportedly played Petula Clark’s 1964 hit “Downtown” minutes before RV explosion, which knocked officers off their feet and injured three people. The explosion also caused damage to at least 41 businesses and led to communication blackouts across the Nashville region.
Federal authorities have yet to identify what could have motivated Warner’s suicide bombing. Investigators are looking into whether the suspect had paranoia that 5G technology could be used to spy on Americans, a source with knowledge of the investigation told News4 Nashville.
A conspiracy theory promoted by the rightwing cult movement QAnon and others has made farfetched assertions that 5G is being used for spying and that the cellphone technology helps spread the coronavirus and causes cancer.
Warner worked as a computer consultant for local real estate firm Fridrich & Clark Realty for 15 years before he retired earlier this month.
“The Tony Warner we knew is a nice person who never exhibited any behavior which was less than professional,” Steve Fridrich, co-owner of the firm, said.
Neighbors describe Warner as a “recluse” who rarely went out of his home in Antioch and did not respond to Christmas dinner offers. Warner, who once owned an alarm company, lived with his parents for years before moving into a nearby house.
Property records of a quitclaim deed showed that Warner transferred his property at 115 Bakertown Rd. to a Los Angeles woman in November.
Originally published at IBT