Anthony Warner

“	Nashville and the world is never going to forget me.	„
	~ Warner to a neighbor a few days before the bombing.

Anthony Quinn Warner (January 17, 1957 - December 25, 2020) was an American computer technician who detonated an RV bomb outside an AT&T telephone exchange in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior to the bombing, there was no evidence that Warner was a potential terrorist, other than his belief in various conspiracy theories.

Background

Anthony Warner grew up in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville and graduated from Antioch High School sometime in the 1970s. It is unknown if Warner went to college, and he worked as a computer technician for various companies. As a young man, Warner was arrested for marijuana possession but otherwise had not committed any crimes.

Leadup to the bombing

On August 21, 2019, Warner's girlfriend called the Nashville police warning of potential bomb-making in his RV. However, they were unable to obtain a warrant and after observation, found no evidence of his girlfriend's allegations. Despite this, they checked with the FBI and again nothing suspicious was found concerning Warner.

The next year, prior to the bombing, Warner transferred his house to entertainment executive Michelle Swing, to whom he had already transferred another property the previous year. He also gave his car away to an unknown individual, claiming he had cancer(he may actually have). Warner's receipts from stores pointed to bomb-making materials, for which he could have been arrested.

Bombing

On December 25, 2020, Warner drove his Thor Motor Coach Chateau RV to the AT&T exchange in downtown Nashville(not to be confused with the AT&T office building in downtown Nashville, colloquially known as the "Batman Building"). He arrived at 1:22 AM, and transmitted warnings through loudspeakers using a computerized female voice urging people in the area to leave and stay clear of the vehicle. At 5:30 AM, police officers arrived to coordinate evacuations, and the bomb exploded about an hour later. 8 people were injured, and Warner was found dead at the scene, possibly making the attack a suicide bombing.

The explosion resulted in damage to surrounding buildings, and the collapse of one across the street, as well as three vehicles. Within hours(possibly after the exchange's batteries ran out) phone outages were reported across Middle Tennessee, shutting down all kinds of services including Nashville International Airport's control tower as the telephone systems within the building were also damaged.

Because Warner did not leave much other evidence relating to the bombing, the motive is unclear, as is his intended target. However, it may have been related to concerns about 5G broadband, as Warner had written to many individuals about various conspiracy theories regarding UFOs and reptilians.

Investigation

On March 15, 2021, following approximately four months of investigation, the FBI determined that Warner acted alone and was not ideologically motivated. Stress and the deterioration of personal relationships were also a factor. Other than making an impact on the city and surrounding areas, the investigation found no evidence that Warner had any reason for targeting the AT&T exchange (this apparently included the conspiracy theories in which he believed) nor was there any evidence that it or any buildings, groups or individuals in the surrounding area were the target.

Trivia

• The warnings issued to crowds in the area have been compared to how the IRA warned people in the areas of its bombing targets.
• Warner's apparent desire to limit casualties was also compared to Animal and Earth Liberation Front attacks which usually targeted properties as opposed to people.
• Images of a man named Tony Quinn wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat were circulated on social media claiming that he was the bomber, thus potentially implicating Donald Trump or his supporters. However, Quinn was Anthony Warner's middle name, and he had never even voted in any election.