One of the officers at the scene during the Nashville explosion on Christmas Day attributed to God the last-minute decision to move away from the recreational vehicle seconds before it exploded.
The blast, which the police called an “intentional act”, injured at least three people and destroyed 41 buildings and businesses nearby. Local and federal authorities have no reason for the explosion, which occurred on Friday morning after the vehicle announced a warning for people to evacuate with the recording of a female voice.
The RV also played Petula Clark’s song “Downtown” at one point before the explosion, said a police officer.
Nashville metropolitan police officers James Wells and Amanda Topping were nearing the end of their shifts on Christmas morning when fellow police officer Tyler Luellen called for help with a possible shooting, they explained at a news conference on Sunday morning. Upon arriving, they heard the audio of a trailer that told them to evacuate and a bomb was inside.
Topping stayed with her car and watched the road while everyone else started evacuating the building closest to the trailer, something that made her a little impatient, she said. Once a small group of officers left the building, she started towards them, until she noticed Wells near the trailer and changed course.
Wells also decided to change course at the last minute and turn in his direction – seconds before the bomb exploded.
“This may not be politically correct, but it is my truth,” said Wells on Sunday. “I literally heard God tell me to turn around and take a look at Topping, who was alone on Broadway.”
Suddenly, Wells said he lost his balance when the bomb went off. He said he also temporarily lost his hearing with the explosion. But he soon got up and ran towards Topping, who said he was just starting to walk up to him when he saw “the biggest flames” he had ever seen in his life.
“I don’t know how I managed to keep my balance, but … I couldn’t see him for a second, I just lost control and ran towards him,” said Topping. “And, as he said, I’ve never grasped someone so hard in my life.”
Wells, who describes himself as a “spiritual” person, gave credit to God for helping him survive that day.
“I’m not going to run away from this because that’s what saved my life,” said Wells. “This is what made me see my children and my wife at Christmas. And ‘good to see you’ has a completely different meaning for me now. “
Topping and Wells described the whole incident as strange from the start, a moment that looked more like a scene you would see in a movie than in real life.
Authorities do not believe that there is a current threat to Nashville and are investigating hundreds of tips and clues about the explosion. Federal agents searched Anthony Quinn Warner’s home, 63, on Saturday after Google Street View images of the address showed a trailer parked in the backyard that matches the description that police said was used in the attack.
Tissue was found after the explosion, and authorities are examining it to see if it could be human remains, according to Nashville Metropolitan Police Chief John Drake.
Luellen, the first officer to arrive at the scene and call for backup, did not think of anything about the RV when he first arrived, nor did he notice anyone nearby. After hearing the bomb’s warning, he went to check for signs, but he saw nothing that identified the recreational vehicle, which had all the curtains drawn to prevent the view from inside.
“I don’t know why the gentleman or the woman, whoever did this, gave the warning,” said Luellen. “I am very grateful that we really had the time to try to help people to withdraw.”
