A recorded message coming from an RV warned about the explosion in Nashville that injured at least three people and damaged dozens of buildings. The update was provided by, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said during a news conference.
This finding adds more credibility to the possible intentionality of the act.
As stated on a CNN report, Metro Nashville Police Department officers were responding to a call of shots fired around 5:30 a.m. CT Friday when they found a motor home parked in front of an AT&T transmission building at 166 2nd Avenue North.
The message that indicated a bomb would explode in 15 minutes was heard coming from the RV.
Nashville Vice Mayor Jim Shulman told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that a female voice was speaking in the warning message played from the RV before the explosion.
“There were a number of people who did evacuate and then we know of some people, it didn’t go off when the message said it would and so people started coming back in, and then it went off,” he explained.
The RV explosion took place at 6:30 a.m. CT as the bomb squad was responding, police spokesman Don Aaron said.
Significant damage
“We do believe this to have been an intentional act,” he said. “Significant damage has been done to the infrastructure there on 2nd Avenue North.”
Three people were transported to hospitals, but none were in critical condition, according to Nashville Fire spokesman Joseph Pleasant. The force of the explosion knocked down one officer, Aaron said, and caused hearing loss in another. However, no officers were significantly injured.
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The Police tweeted a photo of the RV and said it arrived on 2nd Ave at 1:22 a.m.
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 https://t.co/dVGS7o0m4v. @ATFHQ pic.twitter.com/JNx9sDinAH
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 25, 2020
The FBI field office in Memphis is leading the investigation and Special Agent in Charge Matt Foster urged the public to submit any tips or information.