Nashville blast likely suicide bombing, CNN reports

Investigators believe the explosion that rocked Nashville on Christmas morning was a suicide bombing, CNN reported Saturday, citing law-enforcement sources.

Human remains were found at the scene where a recreational vehicle blew up on Friday, officials had previously said.

The FBI was searching a home in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville believed to belong to a person of interest in the blast that injured three people and damaged more than 40 businesses downtown.

Federal agents on Saturday could be seen searching the home and grounds of the property in Antioch that according to CBS News belonged to Anthony Quinn Warner, 63. A Google Maps image taken in May 2019 showed a recreational vehicle like the one that blew up parked at the property.

Emergency personnel work near the scene of an explosion in downtown Nashville, Tenn., on Friday. (Mark Humphrey/)

“We can’t confirm any individuals or anybody we’ve identified,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Doug Korneski said at a news conference on Saturday.

“At this point we don’t have any indication we are looking for another subject,” said Korneski. “But again, there’s 500 leads we’re running through.”

Authorities continued to cordon off the downtown area of the blast, but said there is no further danger.

FBI and ATF agents search the basement of a home in Nashville, Tenn. (Mark Humprey / AP/)

“Nashville is safe. ... We have no known threats at this time against our city,” said Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake.

The bomb blew up at 6:29 local time on Christmas morning and was preceded by an eerie warning coming from the vehicle, which ordered bystanders: “If you can hear this message, evacuate now.”

Police, responding to a call of shots fired, were able to evacuate people from the area, resulting in just three injuries, none of which was life-threatening.

At a news conference on Friday, Drake spoke of the timing of the attack.

Law enforcement officers investigate the house in the Antioch neighborhood of Nashville on Saturday. (Terry Wyatt/)

“I don’t want to speculate, but you would think that this person didn’t want to harm people, that maybe he just wanted to destroy,” Drake said.

The blast occurred near a building that housed a large AT&T switching center. The blast was believed to have disrupted cell phone service and affected 911 call centers in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama.

When asked Saturday whether the AT&T building was the target, Korneski said, “We’re looking at every possible motive that could be involved.”

AT&T said it had two portable cell sites set up in downtown Nashville, and was working to deploy others in affected areas.

FBI and ATF agents investigate a home in Nashville, Tenn. An explosion that shook the largely deserted streets of downtown Nashville early Christmas morning shattered windows, damaged buildings, and wounded three people. Authorities said they believed the blast was intentional. (Mark Humphrey/)

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee requested an emergency declaration from President Trump to support relief efforts.

“This morning I toured the site of the bombing,” the governor tweeted. “The damage is shocking and it is a miracle that no residents were killed.”

The area will remain closed to the public on Sunday, and Korneski urged patience with the FBI’s probe.

“It’s just going to take us some time,” he said. “Our investigative team is turning over every stone.”

With News Wire Services