NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville police could have done a better job of following up on a 2019 tip about bomb-making activity by the man who later detonated an explosive in downtown Nashville on Christmas Day, a report released Wednesday concludes.
Anthony Quinn Warner parked an RV in the middle of a Nashville tourist district early on the morning of Dec. 25 before setting off the blast that killed him, injured several others and heavily damaged dozens of buildings, including a key AT&T network facility. The explosion disrupted phone and data service for days over hundreds of miles.
Police had been warned about Warner: More than a year earlier, a friend of his had told police he was making a bomb in a recreational vehicle in his yard.
“There is no way to know for sure if the suicide bombing on December 25, 2020 could have been prevented,” the report concludes. “All we can say for sure is that following the best practices and being diligent creates the best opportunity for a good result the next time.”
The report, compiled by a five-member panel of police officials, a former U.S. attorney, a member of the police oversight board and a city council member, notes that law enforcement officials followed the protocols that were in place. But it also makes a number of recommendations for changes. The report was requested by police chief John Drake, who received a copy on Friday.