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Did a Missile Blow Up the AT&T Building in Nashville?
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The Dispatch Fact Check

Did a Missile Blow Up the AT&T Building in Nashville?

No.

Khaya Himmelman
Dec 30, 2020
27
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Did a Missile Blow Up the AT&T Building in Nashville?
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 25: In this handout image provided by the Metro Nashville Police Department, a screengrab of surveillance footage shows the recreational vehicle suspected of being used in the Christmas day bombing on December 25, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. A Hazardous Devices Unit was en route to check on a recreational vehicle which then exploded, extensively damaging some nearby buildings. According to reports, the police believe the explosion to be intentional, with at least 3 injured and human remains found in the vicinity of the explosion. (Photo by Metro Nashville Police Department via Getty Images)
Surveillance photo of Anthony Quinn Warner’s RV. (Photograph Photo by Metro Nashville Police Department via Getty Images.)

After a recreational vehicle in downtown Nashville exploded on Christmas morning, rumors about the cause of the explosion have been circulating on social media. One such theory, shared via a video from BitChute claims that the explosion was caused by a missile strike. The video is captioned as follows: “Surveillance video proves missile strike on Nashville.”

The video, which shows unclear footage of an explosion, claims to be a “surveillance video obtained by WKRN-TV. from BlastAway Sand Blasting proves that a missile, or directed energy weapon, not a car bomb destroyed the AT & T Building in Nashville, Tennesee [sic] on Christmas morning. The attack destroyed critical components related to upcoming the 2020 election in Georgia.”

This is a false claim. The explosion in Nashville was not caused by a missile strike but was indeed caused by a vehicle explosion.  

On December 25, several hours after the explosion, the Nashville Police Department identified a photo of the RV and tweeted a picture of the vehicle saying that it “exploded on 2nd Ave N this morning. It arrived on 2nd Ave at 1:22 a.m.” 

Twitter avatar for @MNPDNashvilleMetro Nashville PD @MNPDNashville
BREAKING: This is the RV that exploded on 2nd Ave N this morning. It arrived on 2nd Ave at 1:22 a.m. Have you seen this vehicle in our area or do you have information about it? Please contact us via Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 or online via
fbi.gov/nashville. @ATFHQ
Image

December 25th 2020

44,682 Retweets56,630 Likes

The New York Times reported that a man named Anthony Quinn Warner was responsible for the bombing and that DNA tests performed on human remains from the explosion match Warner’s. Per the Times, the U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee confirmed at a press conference on Sunday that Warner was indeed the “bomber.” Law enforcement agents do not have any evidence to suggest others were involved in the bombing. 

Furthermore, the metro Nashville police released footage of the explosion, which shows the RV in sight right before the explosion occurred. 

Twitter avatar for @MNPDNashvilleMetro Nashville PD @MNPDNashville
This is video of Friday morning's explosion recorded by an MNPD camera at 2nd Ave N & Commerce St.
Image

December 28th 2020

3,204 Retweets7,049 Likes

Phil Williams, a reporter for NewsChannel 5, a CBS affiliate in Nashville, took to Twitter to clarify what he called a “FALSE conspiracy theory about a Nashville missile” using this same footage of the explosion as evidence:

Twitter avatar for @NC5PhilWilliamsPhil Williams @NC5PhilWilliams
The FALSE conspiracy theory about a Nashville missile attack is based on altered images. The RV is parked on the left. The initial fireball is on the left. Fiery debris (not a missile) rains down on the right. (Basic physics.) In the end, the RV is gone. #NashvilleBombing @NC5
Image

December 28th 2020

77 Retweets420 Likes


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Erroll Treslan
Dec 30, 2020

It’s almost like an elected Senator refusing to certify the Electoral College results and, in so doing, seeking to disenfranchise millions of voters. OK. Not that crazy.

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Brad
Dec 31, 2020

I was almost can't believe you all have to address nonsense like this but after all it is still 2020

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