Christmas morning vehicle explosion… Finding remains in the field
A’bang’ bursts after a warning message in the shopping center
Judging “intentionally acting”… FBI investigation started
viewer
On the morning of Christmas Day 25 (local time), a vehicle explosion occurred in the middle of downtown Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, USA. The remains were found at the site, and three people were taken to the hospital. The local police reported that there was a high possibility of a crime as a result of a deliberate act rather than a simple accident, and started an investigation.
According to the Associated Press and CNN Broadcasting, the Nashville police were dispatched after receiving a report that a gunshot was heard in the north of Nashville 2nd Street just before 6 am. Police found a recreational vehicle that echoed loudly suspicious messages instead of evidence of a shooting at the scene. The vehicle announced that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. The deputy mayor of Nashville said the recorded message was the voice of a woman. Recordings obtained by local broadcasters say, “This area needs to be evacuated now. If you hear this message, evacuate now.” It contains a warning about a few minutes.
viewer
Police visited nearby buildings in person and evacuated people. He also called the dangerous goods handling team immediately, but the vehicle exploded around 6:30 while on the way to the site. It is reported that the vehicle arrived at 1:22 in the morning and was parked. In this explosion, three people were transferred from the site to the hospital, but it is known that they are not in critical condition. One policeman fell in the shock of the explosion, and the other suffered hearing damage.
The impact of this explosion was so powerful that it could be felt from 9 blocks away, destroying dozens of nearby buildings and shattering the windows. It is said that black smoke could be seen rising from several miles away.
AT&T’s telephone switching office, which is located nearby, was also damaged, and AT&T service was suspended in parts of central Tennessee and Kentucky. Police reported that the 911 system was shut down in some counties 180 miles (290 km) from Nashville. Police explained that they had not been able to determine whether AT&T damage and explosions were a coincidence or intended. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has temporarily suspended flights departing from Nashville International Airport due to communications problems associated with the explosion.
Police said that the possibility of further explosions was low, but in case of an emergency, police dogs were used to search nearby vehicles and buildings.
viewer
The area where the explosion occurred is in the middle of downtown Nashville, home to American country music, with bars, restaurants and retail stores. Buck McCoy, who lives nearby, posted a video on Facebook showing the sound of alarms and people screaming, as well as water pouring from the ceiling of the house. McCoy testified that the explosion was so big that it felt like a bomb had explode, and that he saw four cars lit. He also stated that he heard a gunfire 15 minutes before the explosion.
Investigation authorities see the explosion as a result of deliberate action. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was responsible for conducting the investigation. Some people were taken to the police station to be investigated, but the cause of the explosion, the motive, or whether people were in the vehicle at the time is unknown. White House deputy spokesman Jude Deer said President Donald Trump has been briefed on the case and will receive regular updates.
CNN, citing sources, said that there was no threat of an attack in Nashville or increased dialogue among extremist groups nationwide. It was discovered that it was found to be human remains near the site of the explosion, but it is not known whether this is related to the explosion or whether it is the remains of the criminal or victim. Nashville Police Chief John Drake said “we are discovering and investigating an organization believed to be harmful,” but said he could not say if this was someone else’s in the vehicle.
Meanwhile, according to Reuters, car bombings were rare in the United States. In 1995, a truck exploded in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring hundreds. The criminal was executed in 2001. In April 2010, he was stopped while attempting to explode a vehicle at Times Square, New York.
/ Reporter Park Dong-hui [email protected]
< 저작권자 ⓒ 서울경제, 무단 전재 및 재배포 금지 >