Officials Name Suspect In Nashville Blast; Investigating If It Was A Suicide Bombing
at 11:58 am NPR
The violent explosion that rocked downtown Nashville on Christmas morning is suspected to have been caused by a suicide bomber, according to a source in the city administration who was not authorized to speak publicly.
On Sunday, a spokesman for Nashville Police Chief John Drake said that Anthony Q. Warner, 63, is under investigation in connection with the bombing. According to NPR member station WPLN, Warner until recently owned a home in the suburban Nashville community of Antioch that was searched on Saturday by federal officials.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" program on Sunday that local officials felt there had to be some connection between the bombing and the AT&T Inc building.
TRAVIS W. PICK AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
FBI and ATF agents search the basement of a home Saturday, Dec. 26 in Nashville, Tenn. AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
A police car drives past the scene of an explosion Saturday, Dec. 26 in Nashville, Tenn. AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Nashville Police Officer Richard Luellen speaks at a news conference Sunday, Dec. 27 in Nashville, Tenn. Luellen is one of six officers credited with evacuating people before an explosion took place in downtown Nashville early Christmas morning. AP Photo/Mark Humphrey
Nashville Chief of Police John Drake speaks at a news conference Sunday, Dec. 27 in Nashville, Tenn. Drake spoke before five officers told what they experienced when an explosion took place in downtown Nashville early Christmas morning.
US: Nashville blast suspect died in explosion, says police
The explosion in the heart of Tennessee s largest city on Christmas Day morning injured three people and damaged several businesses. Nashville Metro Police Chief embraces officers near the blast site (Reuters photo)
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Updated: Dec 28, 2020, 09:23 AM IST
The 63-year-old suspect in the bombing that rocked Nashville on Christmas Day morning was killed in the blast that destroyed his motor home and damaged more than 40 businesses, authorities said on Sunday.
FBI forensic experts matched DNA samples recovered from the scene to that of Anthony Q Warner, whose home in nearby Antioch was searched on Saturday by federal agents.
27 Dec 2020
On Sunday, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) commended six Tennessee law enforcement officials for their response to the Nashville explosion on Christmas Day. Officer Brenna Hosey, Officer James Luellen, Officer Michael Sipos, Officer Amanda Topping, Officer James Wells and Sergeant Timothy Miller were all recognized for evacuating people and saving lives before the explosion went off.
Fleischmann told FNC’s “Fox & Friends” that the members of the Nashville Metro Police Department “ought to be praised and lauded” both locally and nationally for their efforts to save lives on Christmas. He stressed that their work is why it is important to support law enforcement.