Nashville explosion: These six police officers evacuated residents moments before the motorhome exploded

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The voice repeated the message, counting down as the minutes passed.

As the countdown continued, six police officers who heard these warnings began acting, helping downtown Nashville residents evacuate before the motorhome faced its threat and exploded Friday morning.
The bomb blew up the neighborhood in the early hours of the morning, but only injured three people thanks to the quick work and courage of officers, officials said.

“Officers immediately began knocking on doors and evacuating residents from here, not knowing if the bomb would detonate immediately or if it would go out by the time it was declared,” the Nashville Metro police chief said. , John Drake.

Clockwise, from top left: Officer Amanda Topping, Officer Brenna Hosey, Officer James Wells, Officer Michael Sipos, Officer Richard Luellen, and Sergeant. Timothy Miller.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper praised the six responding agents, saying they “took quick action and steered people away from danger to save lives, even at the time when their own lives were In danger”.

“They’re heroes. And I’m grateful for them and for all of Nashville’s top respondents,” Cooper said.

The Nashville Metropolitan Police Department identified officers in a press release last Friday as:

  • Officer Brenna Hosey, who has been in the department for 4 years;
  • Officer James Luellen, who has been in the department for 3 years;
  • Officer Michael Sipos, who has been in the department for 16 months;
  • Officer Amanda Topping, who has been in the department for 21 months;
  • Officer James Wells, who has been in the department for 21 months; i
  • Sergeant Timothy Miller, who has been in the department for 11 years.

The explosion of the RV shattered the windows and sent pieces of flaming flames through the air, damaging several buildings.

Three civilians were hospitalized and are in stable condition, officials said. The force of the blast knocked down one officer, police spokesman Don Aaron said, and caused hearing loss in another. But no officer was seriously injured.

Mayor Cooper described it as a “deliberate bomb,” but officials did not yet have a full explanation for the unusual warnings and explosions.

Nashville Deputy Mayor Jim Shulman told CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Friday that a female voice was speaking on the warning message from the RV. Betsy Williams, a witness who lives in another building across the street after the blast, described her as a “computerized” female voice.

“This area needs to be evacuated now,” the voice said three times.

Mayor Cooper noted the difficulties the city has faced this year and expressed his gratitude for the effort of the officers who responded.

“This is a year where we understand what our first users mean to our community over and over again,” Cooper said. “Unfortunately on Christmas Day you have another example.”

CNN’s Paul P. Murphy and Hollie Silverman contributed to this report.

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