Nashville honors six police officers who responded to bombing with mural

A group in Nashville, Tenn., has honored the six police officers who responded first to the bombing that took place in the city on Christmas Day with a mural.

The mural features the faces of officers Brenna Hosey, James Luellen, Michael Sipos, Amanda Topping, James Wells and Timothy Miller and includes the phrase “I Believe in Heroes.”

The mural, posted Sunday night on the window of a Hard Rock Cafe, was organized by the group I Believe in Nashville, which is also selling merchandise including T-shirts and mugs to benefit businesses and individuals impacted by the bombings, according to The Tennessean.

The group said in an Instagram post that the mural will be on display until the window it’s covering gets replaced, according to WKRN. The mural will then be framed and hung inside of the Hard Rock Cafe “as a constant reminder of the heroism in Nashville.”

The officers have received widespread praise for their actions evacuating people from the area of the blast. Officers were initially responding to an emergency call of shots fired around 5:30 a.m. on Christmas morning, and found a recreational vehicle playing a warning that a bomb would detonate in 15 minutes. They quickly worked to evacuate people.

Mayor John Cooper hailed the officers in a press conference later that day, saying “these incredible heroes, who ran to danger with uncertain outcomes ahead of them, were responsible for so many injuries being saved.”

The FBI is investigating the explosion, which injured eight and damaged roughly 40 buildings.

Authorities confirmed Anthony Quinn Warner as their suspect two days after the bombing, adding that he died in the explosion. The FBI said Saturday that it is “aware” that Warner sent materials to acquaintances across the country.