Mystery surrounds the motive behind the apparent bomb blasts on the streets of downtown Nashville that shook Tennessee’s largest city on Christmas morning as investigators continued to cut trash for clues.
Three people were lightly injured in the blast and some potential human remains have been found near the site of the RV that exploded and severely damaged Nashville’s historic historic core. But it is not clear whether the remains are linked to the incident.
What is certain is the strange nature of the attack.
Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said police found the R.V. Together they were responding to an early morning report of a shooting when they found R.V. He also warned that the bomb would explode in 15 minutes. Police evacuated a nearby building and called in a bomb squad. Then the RV exploded.
Police believe the blast was intentional but do not yet know its purpose or target, and Drake noted that officers received no threats prior to the blast.
The chief said investigators at the scene “found tissue that is believed to be present, but we will have it investigated and let you know at that time.” Police could not say whether it may have come from inside an RV.
The condition of the three people who were taken to area hospitals on Friday evening was stable, Nashville Mayor John Cooper said.
“This morning’s attack on our community was meant to create chaos and fear in this season of peace and hope. But Nashville has proved time and time again that the spirit of our city cannot be broken, “Cooper told a news conference after the curfew was imposed in the area.
The blast sent black smoke and flames from the center of the tourist scene in downtown Nashville, the area is full of hockey-tanks, restaurants and shops. An explosion near an AT&T-owned building shook buildings and shattered windows on the streets, a block from the company’s office fee tower, a landmark in downtown.
On Saturday morning teams of experts were collecting debris from a large area of the blast site. The damage to the AT&T building has sparked some speculation that it was the target of the attack.
“We don’t know if it was a coincidence, or if it was intentional,” police spokesman Don Arrow said. He said some people had earlier been taken to the central area of the department for questioning, but declined to give details.
AT&T said the affected building is the central office of the telephone exchange, which has network equipment. The blast disrupted service, but the company denied how widespread the outrage was.
The AT&T outage site featured service questions in central Tennessee and Kentucky. Some police agencies have reported that their 911 systems have been shut down due to an outage, including Knox County in Knoxville, 180 miles (290 km) east of Shawville.
AT&T said it is bringing in portable cell sites and working with law enforcement to gain access to repair its equipment. The company noted that “power is needed to restore” the service.
The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily suspended flights to Nashville Airport due to telecommunications issues associated with the blast.
Agency spokesman Joel Siskovic said the FBI would take the lead in the investigation. Federal investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also at the scene. The FBI is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for investigating federal crimes, such as explosives violations and acts of terrorism.
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