Oklahoma City bombing

Quick Facts: Who was Oklahoma City bombing?

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Oklahoma City bombing

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Domestic terrorism bombing on April 19, 1995, targeting federal buildings in Oklahoma City.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

On April 19, 1995, American anti-government extremist Timothy McVeigh, assisted by Terry Nichols, detonated a makeshift bomb stored in a rental truck parked in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in an act of domestic terrorism. The explosion killed 167 people, injured 684, and destroyed more than a third of the building. The attack also destroyed or damaged 324 other buildings, destroyed 86 vehicles and caused an estimated $652 million in damage. During rescue operations after the bombing, a rescue worker was killed after being struck on the head by falling debris, bringing the total death toll to 168. Within 90 minutes of the explosion, McVeigh was stopped by Oklahoma Highway Patrolman Charlie Hanger for driving without a license plate and was arrested for illegal weapons possession.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Forensic evidence quickly linked McVeigh and Nichols to the attack; within days, both men were charged. Michael and Lori Fortier were later identified as accomplices. McVeigh, a combat veteran of the Gulf War, had rented a Ryder truck, which he later filled with the explosives used in the attack. Nichols assisted McVeigh in planning the attack and making the bomb. McVeigh and Nichols were primarily motivated by their anger at the U.S. federal government, particularly its handling of the law enforcement sieges at Ruby Ridge in 1992 and Waco in 1993, as well as the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

McVeigh had timed the retaliatory attack to coincide with the second anniversary of the end of the siege in Waco and the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The official Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report on the bombing, referred to as "OKBOMB", involved 28,000 interviews, 7,100 lbs (3,200 kg) of evidence, and nearly one billion pieces of information. When the FBI raided McVeigh's home, they found a telephone number that led them to a farm where McVeigh had purchased supplies for the bombing. The bombers were tried and convicted in 1997. McVeigh was sentenced to death; he was executed via lethal injection on June 11, 2001, at the U.S. federal penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1992: 1992 Milestone — federal government, particularly its handling of the law enforcement sieges at Ruby Ridge in 1992 and Waco in 1993, as well as the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
2. 1995: 1995 Milestone — On April 19, 1995, American anti-government extremist Timothy McVeigh, assisted by Terry Nichols, detonated a makeshift bomb stored in a rental truck parked in front of the Alfred P.
3. 1997: 1997 Milestone — The bombers were tried and convicted in 1997.
4. 2001: 2001 Milestone — McVeigh was sentenced to death; he was executed via lethal injection on June 11, 2001, at the U.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Oklahoma City bombing

True or False: “The initial target selection for the bombing was solely based on maximizing casualties among government employees.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): McVeigh initially stated he wanted to minimize non-governmental casualties, which is why he ruled out Simmons Tower due to a florist's shop occupying ground floor space.

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