Nashville Police Recognize 6 Officers Who First Responded to Explosion

Friday morning, an explosion occurred in downtown Nashville, damaging the surrounding area and [...]

By John Newby

Friday morning, an explosion occurred in downtown Nashville, damaging the surrounding area and sending three people to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Now residents have the names of the police officers that first responded to the call. Officer Brenna Hosey, Officer James Luellen, Officer Michael Sipos, Officer Amanda Topping, Officer James Wells and Sergeant Timothy Miller were the ones that began the evacuation process before the explosion.

Police Chief John Drake held a press conference on Friday night and revealed the names. He said that the officers responded to a report of shots fired. They helped several people evacuate the area after discovering the RV blaring a message warning of a bomb. "They immediately began knocking on doors, not knowing when the bomb would go off," Drake said. "They didn't think of themselves...they thought of the citizens of Nashville. They saved lives today, and their heroism should be noted."

Nashville Mayor John Cooper released a statement about the officers after Friday morning's incident. "They took swift action, directed people away, even when their own lives were in peril. This is a year we understand what first responders mean to our community time and time again," he said about the six officers.

The explosion occurred at 6:30 a.m. on Christmas. Officers and eyewitnesses heard a message playing from the RV that warned of an explosion. The message continued to provide updates about the time remaining before the bomb detonated. The blast blew out windows in the surrounding buildings, set multiple cars aflame and destroyed or blackened nearby trees.

Metro Nashville PD, the FBI and ATF began an investigation into the blast and labeled it as an "intentional act." K-9 units patrolled the surrounding area and searched for any other potential explosive devices. Dogs and their handlers searched trash cans and other potential hiding spots while doing their protective sweeps.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced on Saturday morning that he has sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting an Emergency Declaration. He said that the severity and magnitude of the situation is "such that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the State and affected local governments." Gov. Lee said that federal assistance under the Stafford Act is necessary to supplement the efforts and available resources.

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