One of the first police officers to respond to the Christmas morning bombing in Nashville realized the significance of where the RV was located. Metro Police have released excerpts from body camera footage collected before and after the incident.
It shows police walking along Second Avenue as a warning to evacuate blares. One officer points out the windowless brick structure housing an AT&T transmission center.
“That building that it’s next to houses all the hard lines for phones throughout the Southeast,” he says.
“Makes sense,” responds another.
The bombing took down cell and internet service in Tennessee and neighboring states. Even major retailers like Walmart and Lowe’s were unable to take credit cards for days. Dillard’s in Nashville-area malls opted to close instead of trying to take cash only.
AT&T prioritized restoring mobile service, which is mostly done. But some state agencies are still reporting trouble with their networks.
It’s yet unclear whether AT&T was the intended target. Federal investigators are continuing to interview people who knew the bomber to understand his motivation.
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