nashville explosion
: FBI and first responders work the scene after an explosion on December 25, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Thaddaeus McAdams/Getty Images
  • An explosion in Nashville linked to a parked RV left three people injured and destroyed much of a downtown street on Christmas Day.
  • Investigators now believe that the explosion could have been the result of a suicide bombing, according to CNN.
  • Human remains were found near the site of the blast. The FBI is now trying to locate the mother of a suspected bomber to see if they belong to him.
  • The blast had already been referred to as “intentional” and “deliberate” by local officials.
  • Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

Investigators looking into the Christmas Day blast on a Nashville street now believe that the huge explosion was the result of a suicide bombing, two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told CNN.

It follows the news that investigators found human remains near the site of the powerful blast, according to CBS News.

Nashville’s police chief John Drake revealed on Friday evening that tissue had been discovered. 

The tissue was confirmed to be from a human following DNA tests on Saturday, according to a report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency seen by USA Today.

It is believed that whoever set off the bomb was likely killed in the explosion, law enforcement sources told CBS News.

FBI agents are now trying to locate the mother of a leading suspect, two law enforcement officers told Newsweek.

On Saturday, multiple news outlets reported that Nashville police were investigating a "person of interest." He has since been identified as 63-year-old Anthony Quinn Warner.

FBI agents searched Warner's home in Antioch, Tennessee, on Saturday afternoon. He owned an RV that was a similar make and model to the one used in Friday's explosion, according to CBS News.

The RV had previously been pictured in Google Street View searches of Warner's property, but it has not been seen on his driveway since at least the day of the explosion, reported Newsweek.

On Friday, authorities had already confirmed that the blast was likely 'intentional'.

Nashville's mayor John Cooper later said: "Initial evidence does show that it was a deliberate bomb being set off in our community."

The blast injured three civilians and damaged 41 buildings.

The FBI is currently seeking information on the explosion. More than 500 tips have been received since the blast took place.

Read the original article on Business Insider