Downtown Surveillance Footage Shows Christmas Day Bombing

At a press conference Sunday morning, Officer James Wells, who has worked for the Metro Police Department for less than two years, described the seconds before an RV exploded on Second Avenue in downtown Nashville on Christmas morning. 

"As I'm getting ready to walk toward them, walking back toward the RV — and this might not be politically correct but this is my truth — I literally heard God tell me to turn around and go check on [Officer Amanda Topping], who was by herself, down on Broadway," Wells said, taking a deep breath before he went on. "As I turn around, for me it felt like I only took three steps and then the music stopped, and as I'm walking back toward Topping now, I just see orange and I hear a loud boom and as I'm stumbling, 'cause it rocked me that hard, I started stumbling, I was telling myself 'just stay on your feet, stay alive.'" 

On Sunday evening, the MNPD released surveillance footage that appears to show that very moment. 

An officer can be seen in the foreground facing north on Second Avenue. The officer turns and begins walking away. As soon as the officer exits the frame, the explosion occurs, sending a wall of fire and debris down the street. 

Law enforcement officials have identified 63-year-old Anthony Warner of Antioch as the bomber and confirmed that he died at the scene citing DNA testing on remains found nearby. Three people were injured but there were no other fatalities. As the six officers who evacuated the area before the explosion described at the press conference Sunday, after responding to a report of gunfire on the downtown street, they encountered the RV broadcasting a warning that it would soon explode and instructing people nearby to evacuate. Soon after, officers said, a countdown began, followed by a song — Petula Clark's rendition of "Downtown." 

Those chilling details, however, have not clarified Warner's motive. Authorities have said they do not suspect any other threats and see no indication of further suspects in the bombing. 

Update, 6:15 p.m.: The Metro Nashville Police Department has released footage taken from Officer Michael Sipos' body camera in the minutes surrounding the bombing. See that footage below.