Early Christmas morning, the residents of Nashville, Tennessee woke up shaking to the core after a terrifying and “intentional” bomb exploded right off the city’s famous Broadway. According to reports, an RV exploded off second avenue and commerce street causing massive damage to surrounded buildings, including knocking out cell service and internet for AT&T users both in-state and throughout surrounding states. In a terrifying video showing the explosion, an audio recording can be heard announcing, “If you can hear this message, evacuate now,” just moments before the explosion.
Just minutes later, sirens can be heard as local law enforcement and first responders immediately flock to the scene. At one point, just minutes after the terrifying explosion, someone can be seen walking through the streets as well. The bomb went off around 6:30 a.m. and just hours after, law enforcement announced that they were labeling the attack as “intentional.”
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Authorities said that they received a warning before the explosion and prompted an immediate evacuation. Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake held a news conference on Friday and confirmed the message’s existence. He said that officers responded to a report of shots fired in downtown Nashville. They then encountered the RV parked in front of an AT&T transmission building at 166 2nd Avenue North that was playing the recorded message. The officers saw no evidence of shots fired and requested the assistance of the hazardous devices unit and began evacuating the surrounding area.
At least three people were injured in the explosion, and all were taken to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Local law enforcement, the FBI and ATF are making quick moves as they already have persons of interest. “CBS News has learned that [police] have a person of interest or persons of interest in connection with the [explosion] that rocked [Nashville] on [Christmas Day]” CBS Chief Justice and Homeland Security Correspondent Jeff Pegues tweeted on Saturday morning.
A law enforcement source told the news outlet that a person of interest “has been identified” in connection to the explosion. That person is connected to the RV that broadcasted an evacuation notice, as well as a bomb warning, before exploding. As a result, several buildings and local residential homes were severely damaged, causing people to evacuate their homes on Christmas morning. Several offices were also damaged after windows exploded and company offices were exposed to the horrifying flames.
