Federal officials said they may soon complete the crime scene where a massive Christmas Day explosion damaged at least 41 businesses on Second Avenue and collapsed one building.
“FBI Evidence Response Teams and the ATF National Response Team members continue to recover evidence at the blast scene in downtown Nashville,” sad FBI Special Agent Jason Pack in a press release that Metro Nashville officials published Wednesday.
“Because of their efforts, nearly half of the original crime scene has been returned to the city for clean-up and safety assessments. Agents hope to complete the crime scene by Friday at the latest (may be sooner).”
Nashville Mayor John Cooper on his Facebook page Wednesday said the following:
• Broadway to Union and Second Avenue to Riverfront will remain closed.
• Second Avenue is closed, including all structures and properties fronting on Second Avenue.
• First Avenue South is restricted to WeGo use.
• Broadway and Union are open to vehicles and pedestrians.
• Third Avenue will open December 31.
Pack said that Metro Nashville Police Department officers, including Urban Search and Rescue team members, were assisting business owners in checking their buildings in areas outside of the Second Avenue between Church and Commerce active crime scenes. The FBI Victim Services Division deployed 26 victim specialists to work with impacted business owners and residents.
“A temporary flight restriction over Second Avenue is in place through Thursday afternoon. FBI and ATF Special Agents and analysts also continue to interview those who knew the suspect in order to try to understand why this happened,” Pack wrote.
“The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (profilers) are assisting the case agents with that task. Those who knew the suspect and haven’t yet spoken with investigators are asked to contact the FBI at 800-CALL-FBI.”
In the hours after the explosion, a video was posted on Twitter from an apparent recording of the bombing from a nearby security camera. Audio of a loudspeaker warning people to leave the area and “evacuate now” was heard echoing in the street moments before the blast. The recording is disrupted, but the camera eventually resets showing the aftermath of the explosion.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
