On 25 December 2020 an explosion occurred in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Forensic tests of human remains recovered at the scene were consistent to those of Anthony Quinn Warner of Antioch, Tennessee.
At this time, there is no indication other individuals were involved. The FBI continues to analyze evidence related to this incident. Motives are still being explored, however public speculation that Warner targeted 5G networks due to the explosion’s impact on a telecommunications facility or that Warner subscribed to 5G conspiracy theories have not been confirmed. The FBI will assess all available evidence before making any assertion regarding Warner’s motivations; however, to date, the FBI does not see any indication Warner subscribed to any commonly held conspiracy theories related to 5G and COVID-19.
The FBI continues to evaluate Warner’s acquisition of explosive precursors and urges all recipients to report any behaviors inconsistent with their industry which is deemed suspicious. A variety of chemical precursors can be reacted together to create explosives and precursors can include common household products, such as hydrogen peroxide, antifreeze, and acetone. The following are potential behavioral indicators of suspicious chemical and common household product purchases. No single indicator should be the sole basis for law enforcement action because each indictor listed below may be, by itself, lawful conduct or behavior. These suspicious activities/indicators include but are not limited to any individual, group, or activity (these indicators should be observed in context and not individually):
- Vague knowledge of a product’s proper use;
- Requests for unusual product quantities;
- Frequent purchases of bulk quantities;
- Providing vague or evasive answers about the reason for purchasing chemicals or household
products; - Suspicious deliveries to new or non-traditional customers directly from manufacturer to a self storage facility, urban residence, or remote areas;
- Individual requesting or purchasing unusual quantities of a chemical or household product that are illogical for intended use;
- Individual requesting or purchasing unusual combination of chemicals or household products;
- Individual refusing to provide address where chemicals or household products will be used or delivered;
- Acting nervous, being evasive or vague about reason or intended use for purchase/use of chemicals; and
- Using cash for large transactions or a credit card in someone else’s name.