50 Facts about the 2020 Nashville Bombing

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Before the horrific bombing on 2nd avenue on Christmas Day 2020, business was already down 70% due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. To add salt to the wound that the pandemic had caused, a huge explosion from an RV on 2nd Avenue destroyed businesses and livelihoods. The perpetrator, Anthony Warner, was a loner with wild conspiracy theories. He seemed to want to be remembered in a big way.

Fortunately, no one was killed and Nashvillians have showed themselves to be stronger than a loner with a bomb. Business has come back stronger and the City of Nashville has committed to rebuilding the blown apart streets.

Here are 50 facts about the bombing to quickly bring you up to speed.

1. In the early hours of Christmas morning 2020, Anthony Quinn Warner parked his RV on Second Avenue, Nashville.
2. The vehicle that carried the bomb was a Thor Motor Coach Chateau RV.
3. At 4:30am rapid gunfire could be heard on second avenue.
4. A recording, coming from the RV, announced that the vehicle would explode and that residents should evacuate.
5. The recording was a computerized voice that said “all buildings in this area must be evacuated now”.
6. Police went door to door advising residents to leave.
7. The bomb exploded at 6:30am.
8. Police explain that the bomb was a significant explosion and not just a gas leak.
9. At least 41 buildings were damaged.
10. FEMA approved the request for a disaster declaration.
11. The scene is described as a “war zone”. Buildings are destroyed, trees blown down and sirens are blaring.
12. Police determine that the bomb was an intentional act.
13. Police blocked the streets and federal agents were called in.
14. Three people are taken to hospital for non life threatening injuries.
15. Mobile phones and internet service is taken offline as AT&T’s hub is near where the RV exploded.
16. Commerce on a usually busy day after Christmas is disrupted as debit and credit services are affected.
17. The FBI and local law enforcement collected more than 3000 pounds of evidence from the blast site.
18. The police received more than 2,500 tips and conducted more than 250 interviews.
19. Anthony Quinn Warner of Antioch, Tennessee acted alone to detonate a bomb inside his vehicle.
20. No one else, apart from Warner were involved in the bombing.
21. The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia assisted in determining why the Warner acted as he did.
22. It was determined that Anthony Quinn Warner’s motive was to end his own life.
23. Anthony Quinn Warner was 63 years old and a longtime resident of Nashville.
24. There was no indication that anyone else was involved in the crime.
25. Warner graduated from Antioch High School in the mid 70’s.
26. Warner served two years probation for marijuana possession but had no other arrests or criminal record.
27. Anthony Quinn Warner was driven by paranoia, eccentric conspiracy theories and the loss of stabilizing factors in his life.
28. There was no indication that Warner was driven by ideology or a desire for social or political change.
29. Warner’s ex-girlfriend, who warned police back in 2019, calls the FBI to provide information.
30. Police followed up on the police report but the case was closed as the FBI nor the DOD found anything suspicious regarding Warner at the time.
31. Leading up to the bombing Warner quit his job, gave away his car and gave his duplex away for $0 to a woman in Los Angeles.
32. It is reported that before the bombing Warner said to a neighbor that “Nashville and the world is never going to forget me”.
33. Flights at Nashville International Airport are halted or delayed for hours.
34. Mayor John Cooper calls the Police responsible for evacuating residences hero’s.
35. It was confirmed that Anthony Warner was killed in the explosion.
36. Debris was found up to two blocks from the explosion.
37. Over 1000 people were left jobless and over 400 local residents were displaced from their homes.
38. Over 1 third of affected building were temporarily or permanently closed within a year.
39. Warner’s late father had been a BellSouth employee in Nashville which merged with AT&T.
40. AT&T setup a temporary network in the parking lot of Nissan Stadium to restore internet and phone service. It was disrupted in 5 states due to the blast.
41. Warner went to court due to a family dispute when he transferred a family home into his name.
42. Warner appeared to believe wild conspiracy theories regarding 9/11, the moon landing and reptilian conspiracies.
43. Warner is believed to have spent time hunting for alien life forms in a nearby park.
44. Warner sent a package 2 days before the blast to a man he knew that contained nine typed pages and two thumb drives. It contained various theories about alien attacks on earth.
45. Warner camped regularly in Montgomery Bell State Park.
46. There is an unconfirmed theory that Warner had received a fatal cancer diagnosis.
47. Warner was the only one killed in the blast.
48. The city has approved a $20 million plan to rebuild Second Avenue that includes lush trees, pedestrian friendly sidewalks, walkways and spacious dining.
49. The Nashville council has created a review commission to investigate the handling and recommend policy changes.
50. Nobody was killed in the blast and it appears Warner did it to receive attention, not to harm others.

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