Man behind Nashville blast driven by paranoia and conspiracy theories

The man who blew himself up in his recreational vehicle on Christmas Day in 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee, was grappling with paranoia and conspiracy theories but was not motivated by social or political ideology, the FBI said on Monday.

An FBI statement set out to resolve some lingering mysteries from an explosion that perplexed investigators and the public because it appeared to lack a motive. Though the blast damaged dozens of buildings, it took place early on a holiday, well before streets would be busy, and was preceded by a

recorded warning.

The FBI concluded that the bomber, Anthony Quinn Warner, chose the location and timing so the blast would be impactful but less likely to cause “undue injury”.

The report found Warner acted alone and set off the bomb to kill himself, driven in part by conspiracy theories and paranoia. The report also found that stressors included “deteriorating interpersonal relationships”.

“The FBI’s analysis did not reveal indications of a broader ideological motive to use violence to bring about social or political change, nor does it reveal indications of a specific personal grievance focused on individuals or entities in and around the location of the explosion,” the statement said.

Investigators identified Warner through DNA recovered from the blast site. They concluded early on that he acted alone.

Despite speculation that Warner may have been motivated by conspiracy theories about 5G technology, given the proximity of the explosion to an AT&T building and resulting havoc to cellphone service, the FBI gave no indication that was the case.

It was revealed that in 2019 Nashville police visited Warner’s home after his girlfriend reported that he was building bombs. The police did not make contact with him or see inside his RV.

Warner took steps that suggested he didn’t expect to survive. He gave away his car, telling the recipient he had cancer, and transferred his home to a California woman for nothing in return. He told an employer he was retiring.

A neighbor who made small talk with Warner recalled that he said something to the effect of, “Oh, yeah, Nashville and the world is never going to forget me.”