Nashville explosion: man responsible for Christmas Day bombing blew himself up

The man believed to be responsible for the Christmas Day bomb attack that ripped through downtown Nashville blew himself up in the blast and appears to have acted alone, federal officials said today.

Investigators used DNA and other evidence to link the man, identified as Anthony Quinn Warner, to the mysterious explosion, although authorities said they had not yet discovered a motive for the bombing. Officials have received hundreds of hints and tips, but they don’t believe anyone else was responsible for the morning blast that damaged dozens of buildings.

Warner, 63, had experience with electronics and alarms, according to public records, and had worked as a computer consultant for a Nashville real estate agency.

The attack, which damaged an AT&T building, has continued to wreak havoc on cell phone service and police and hospital communications in several southern states as the company worked to restore service.

It has been revealed that moments before it exploded into a fireball in the downtown Nashville district on Christmas Day, the large motorhome was playing a song that police have described as creepy.

Police Officer James Luellen was evacuating civilians from the area when the explosive-equipped RV issued an audio warning to nearby residents.

But while helping people to safety, the caravan’s audio suddenly switched from a warning to Petula Clark’s 1965 song Downtown, which topped the charts.

“The music started and I notified through the [police radio] air to notify other officers, “Officer Luellen said at a news conference Sunday.

“Then after the song, he kept going back to the ad for a while.”

Luellen didn’t immediately recognize the song, but remembered enough of the lyrics to piece together what it was.

“What I remembered was, ‘Downtown, where the lights shine brightly,'” he said.

“Later, the ATF agent I spoke to pulled it out and … Petula Clark’s Downtown was the specific song that was heard.”

Upon completion of the recorded warning to evacuate the area, the RV exploded in a shower of shrapnel and flames, destroying parts of nearby buildings and injuring three people.

– with AP