FBI investigating possible 5G conspiracy theory as motive behind Nashville bombing

According to News 4 Nashville, a local NBC affiliate, "Realtor Steve Fridrich contacted the FBI after reading Warner's name, as for several years, a man by the name of Tony Warner had worked for him for several years doing information technology work."

Fridrich confirmed that agents asked him whether or not Warner was paranoid about 5G technology but Fridrich told the FBI that Warner had never spoken to him about that.

According to News 4, Fridrich described the Tony Warner who worked for him as a kind person who they contacted only to work on internet issues. "Nice guy. You know, he was a techie guy —don't mean anything negative about that. He would do this thing and leave. He didn't bother anybody. He did his thing and leave," Fridrich said. Fridrich said Warner spoke of his fondness for camping the last time Warner helped him with an Internet issue earlier this month.

Conspiracy theories about 5G technology, including that the technology somehow helps spread or caused the coronavirus, were peddled on the internet at the beginning of the pandemic. Some people even attacked a 5G phone mast in the UK.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper on Sunday told CBS News' Face the Nation that he suspects that the AT&T transmission center was targeted in the attack. Cooper said it "…feels like there has to be some connection to the AT&T facility and the site of the bombing."

The bombing in Nashville occurred early Friday morning, when a white RV began broadcasting a warning over a loudspeaker, urging local residents to evacuate the area. According to video from surveillance cameras, the recording played for fifteen minutes before the RV exploded. Three people were injured in the blast.

The blast, which caused extensive damage to dozens of buildings, forty one businesses and nearby residences in Tennessee’s largest city, happened outside of a building owned by AT&T.

The explosion affected cellular and internet service in the area as well as 911, emergency medical service communications and air traffic control. Nashville and other cities were still experiencing outages as of Sunday as were other providers such a T-Mobile.

As of Sunday afternoon, there have been no other arrests or motive revealed in the bombing. Reportedly, the FBI received at least two tips about Warner prior to the blast. The Daily Beast reported that Warner was previously arrested in January 1978 and found guilty on an unspecified felony charge in 1980.

Human remains that were found at the blast site are still being DNA-tested and FBI agents intend to swab Warner’s mother to determine if he was a match according to Newsweek.

Investigators are looking into Warner’s connection with a 29-year-old Los Angeles brunette named Michelle Swing who Warner signed the deed to his $160,000 over to for free last month, according to county property records found by The New York Post.

Swing told The Daily Mail the transfer happened "…without my knowledge." She declined to describe her relationship to Warner cited the ongoing FBI investigation.

A similar-looking white RV to the one used in the bombing appears in the home’s driveway in Google Maps images. Neighbors told local media that the RV was parked near the Bakertown Road home in Antioch within the last two weeks.

Late Saturday night, the Daily Mail reported that property records show Warner had transferred yet another home to the mystery woman — again for no money. According to the Mail the property was on the same street as the first house and was valued at $249,000.

There was no sign Saturday of Warner or his RV at the property as investigators spent Saturday searching the home. Reportedly, sources have told CNN and ABC News that investigators believe the explosion may have been the work of a suicide bomber and are now speculating that Warner may have blown himself up in the explosion.