(Newswire.net — December 26, 2020) —
Nashville was shaken by an explosion on Friday, with the blast injuring at least three people.
Police initially responded to reports of shots being fired in the downtown area of Nashville early Christmas morning. The responding officers could find no signs of gunfire, but they noticed an RV that was parked near an AT&T building which roused their suspicion.
Witnesses from the scene report they heard what some were calling a recording coming from the RV that said “Evacuate now. There is a bomb. A bomb is in this vehicle and will explode,” after which there was a 15 minute countdown.
Police officers requested a bomb squad and began evacuating the area. The recreational vehicle exploded around 6:30 a.m., in what Metro police spokesman Don Aaron described was a “significant explosion,” that could be felt for miles.
One of the officers on the scene was knocked prone, and another suffered temporary hearing loss. Three people were reported injured and transported to hospitals. Small fires broke out in the area of the blast. The location where the explosion happened is full of bars and restaurants, but thankfully they were vacant due to the pandemic.
Police Chief John Drake said that investigators who were going through the rubble at the site of the explosion found tissue, that they currently believe could be human remains. They believe the explosion was an “intentional act.” Mayor John Cooper called it a “deliberate bomb” that damaged at least 41 businesses. He also issued a curfew of the area that will last until 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt Foster gave a conference Friday afternoon saying “We will find out who did this.” The FBI is asking for any citizens who have information regarding the explosion to submit images, video recordings or other relevant information.
The AT&T network hub for the city was damaged and service was disrupted.