Special Bombing Review Commission Final Report

In February 2021, the Metro Council created the Special Bombing Review Commission “to review and investigate the circumstances surrounding the suicide bombing in Nashville on December 25, 2020, to make recommendations regarding possible improvements, procedures, and policy changes to reduce the likelihood of another bombing in Nashville, and to improve the city's response to similar emergencies in the future.” Yesterday the Commission issued its final report to the Mayor and Vice Mayor. Because I was the lead sponsor of the legislation, they sent me a copy of the report.

It looks like the Mayor’s Office hasn’t posted it yet.

Here’s the Commission’s final report.

This page has a link to a library of all of the documents reviewed by the Commission.

When I wrote the legislation to create the Commission, my main goal was to create a public, transparent process to talk about what went right and where there were opportunities for improvement. The bombing left on physical and emotional gash on Nashville, and any lessons learned should be public. When I learned that all of the after action reporting was going to happen behind closed doors, I put together the legislation to create a mandatorily public process.

I want to thank Commission Chair Paul Summers, Vice-Chair Jamie Hollin, Secretary Margie Quin, and members Mario Avila, Councilmember Jennifer Gamble, Andres Martinez, Leshuan Oliver, Brenda Sanderson, and Darrell Talbert. None of you had to take on this assignment. Thank you for your service.

Finally, and most importantly, thank you to the men and women of the Metro Nashville Police Department, Nashville Fire Department, and every other government and non-government agency that responded to the bombing.