Christopher BergNashville, TN – An RV parked outside of an AT&T building in downtown Nashville issued a warning that a bomb would be detonated before a massive explosion which damaged buildings and injured three people Christmas morning.
The incident started with a call of shots fired in the area of Second Avenue and Commerce Street at around 4:30 a.m., according to the Nashville Tennessean.
Officers didn’t find any evidence of gunshots, but they located a suspicious RV parked in the area at around 6:00 a.m. and called the bomb squad.
Audio played from the RV with a voice warning that the area needed to be evacuated within 15 minutes.
Officers evacuated the nearby buildings, and the audio played for around 15 minutes before a massive explosion came from the RV, according to Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake.
A police officer in the area was knocked down by the blast and another suffered hearing loss. At least thee people were injured in the explosion but none had serious injuries, according to WSMV.
BREAKING: Audio warning was being broadcast before explosion rocked downtown Nashville. Video shows moment of blast. pic.twitter.com/3IvciFH6BV
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 25, 2020
The area has been closed off in a 10-block radius.
It’s unknown at this time if the bomber was in the RV at the time of the explosion.
No suspects have been publicly identified but authorities do not believe that there is an ongoing threat, according to WSMV.
These are pictures from 2nd Avenue south. Windows were broken out from explosion area to Broadway. Please AVOID this area! Media staging is at 2nd Avenue south and KVB. pic.twitter.com/tocdpHWFgj
— Nashville Fire Dept (@NashvilleFD) December 25, 2020
Explosion 2nd Ave N Nashville pic.twitter.com/qhifSTMYSh
— James Green (@babeteamgreen) December 25, 2020
Investigators say police responded to reports of shots fired this morning in downtown Nashville. Audio was heard coming from a RV saying a bomb would be going off in 15 minutes. The RV blew up. 3 people are wounded. Several buildings damaged. pic.twitter.com/XmegZYA48X
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 25, 2020
The explosion disabled AT&T service for many customers in western Tennessee.
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Holly Matkin
