6 Hero Cops Evacuated Nashville Street Before Blast

An RV warned of an impending explosion. Officers acted fast
By Josh Gardner,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 26, 2020 9:58 AM CST
6 Nashville Officers Acted Fast To Save Lives
A law enforcement member walks past damage from an explosion in downtown Nashville   (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Six Nashville police officers are being hailed as heroes after working quickly to clear the area around an RV that was rigged to explode. The Metro Nashville PD officers arrived at the scene in the city's downtown early Christmas morning in response to a shots fired call. Per the Tennessean, the officers encountered the RV, which was broadcasting an announcement that it was set to explode in 15 minutes. Despite the danger, officers quickly ran door to door to evacuate nearby apartments after calling in the bomb squad. True to the recorded warning, the RV blew up at 6:30am, smashing windows and leaving a massive perimeter of debris in the heart of the city's tourist district. Though three non-life-threatening injuries were reported, no fatalities were initially reported.

Mayor John Cooper praised Officers Brenna Hosey, James Luellen, Michael Sipos, Amanda Topping, James Wells, and Sergeant Timothy Miller for helping ensure the positive outcome. "They ran to danger with uncertain outcomes ahead of them; they were responsible for so many innocents being saved," he said in a statement. The mayor called the explosion the result of a "deliberate bomb," per WZTV. A state of emergency was put in effect in Nashville until late Sunday afternoon while the FBI is aided in an investigation by the ATF and federal, state and local agencies.
(More Nashville bombing stories.)

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