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‘Nashville 6’ named state’s Police Officers of the Year for evacuating people in Christmas Day bombing

The police officers scrambled to make sure people were away from a vehicle as it blared a warning about an imminent explosion.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The “Nashville 6” police officers who were credited with helping save countless lives prior to the Christmas Day bombing have been named Police Officers of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police. 

The officers are Tylor Luellen, Amanda Topping, James Wells, Brenna Hosey, Michael Sipos and Sgt. Tim Miller. They received the awards at the organization’s annual ceremony on Friday.

The officers were introduced by Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake during the ceremony celebrating their quick response.

The six officers heard the warning that a vehicle was 15 minutes from exploding in downtown Nashville on Christmas Day. They wasted no time and sprang into action, helping residents in downtown Nashville evacuate before the motor home on Second Avenue North exploded.

“Officers immediately began knocking on doors and evacuating residents here, not knowing if the bomb was going to detonate immediately or if it was going to go off in the time it was stated,” Drake said immediately after the explosion.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper praised the six officers at the time, saying they “took swift action and directed people away from danger to save lives, even at the time that their own lives were imperiled. They are heroes, and I am grateful for them and all of Nashville’s first responders.”

This story was originally reported by WSMV in Nashville.

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