December 25 2020 Nashville Car Bomb Explosion 6:30AM

The FBI has taken the lead in the investigation into a large explosion from an RV in downtown Nashville early Friday morning that caused massive damage and injured three people.

The blast was felt across much of Davidson County around 6:30 a.m. Metro police said the explosion has been linked to a vehicle outside 166 Second Avenue N., the location of an AT&T data center downtown.

During a morning press conference, Metro police said they believe the explosion was an "intentional act." Federal agents say the bureau has not yet determined the motive or if the explosion was in fact intentional. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is also assisting with K-9s.

Massive downtown Nashville explosion: Dire warning came from RV
Yihyun Jeong
Brinley Hineman
Nashville Tennessean

Nashville authorities believe an explosion that occurred in downtown Nashville early Christmas morning was an "intentional act" and sparked by a vehicle blast.

Police came across a suspicious RV parked outside a nearby AT&T building near Second Avenue and Commerce Street before 6 a.m., when initially responding to calls of shots fired in the area, said Metro police spokesperson Don Aaron.

There was no immediate evidence of any shooting but officers alerted the department's bomb squad, which was en route when a "significant explosion" happened about 30 minutes later, Aaron said.

Just before the blast, witnesses in the area report a dire warning coming from the RV: “Evacuate now. There is a bomb. A bomb is in this vehicle and will explode."

Then, the voice started a 15-minute countdown.

Officers were conducting door-to-door checks in the area and redirected a man walking his dog along the street. The force of the explosion knocked an officer to the ground. Three people were hospitalized with injuries, police said.

Aaron said it was unclear if anyone was inside the RV when it exploded.

"We will find out who did this," Special Agent in Charge Matt Foster said at a Friday afternoon news conference. "This is our city, too. We're putting everything we have into finding who was responsible for what happened here today."

AT&T service in Nashville were affected from many customers Friday, company spokesperson Jim Greer citing damage to facilities from the explosion.

"We are in contact with law enforcement and working as quickly and safely as possible to restore service," Greer said.

Betsy Williams, the owner of the Melting Pot building across the street, told The Tennessean that guests reported the RV was stationed there since Thursday night.

Williams, who lives in a loft apartment on the third floor, said she heard the sound of loud, rapid-fire gunshots at about 4:30 a.m.

After multiple rounds of gunshot sounds, Williams said she called 911.

Then, she said, she heard a repeated warning she said came from the RV parked outside her building.

She recalled hearing the announcement warning of a bomb and to evacuate. Then, it started counting down to the explosion, she said.