Oklahoma City Bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It would remain the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19 children under the age of 6,[1] and injured more than 680 people.[2] The blast destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a sixteen-block radius, destroyed or burned 86 cars, and shattered glass in 258 nearby buildings.[3][4] The bomb was estimated to have caused at least $652 million worth of damage.[5] Extensive rescue efforts were undertaken by local, state, federal, and worldwide agencies in the wake of the bombing, and substantial donations were received from across the country. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activated eleven of its Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces, consisting of 665 rescue workers who assisted in rescue and recovery operations.[6][7]
About 90 minutes later, Timothy McVeigh was stopped by an Oklahoma state trooper who arrested him on a firearms charge. Two days later, shortly before he was to be released, McVeigh was charged in the bombing. His friend Terry Nichols was arrested in Kansas, and formally charged with the bombing on May 10. Both men were indicted on murder and conspiracy charges, and the case was moved to Denver where McVeigh and Nichols were to be tried separately.
McVeigh was found guilty on 11 counts of murder and conspiracy on June 2, 1996, and, on Aug. 14, he was formally sentenced to death. On Dec. 23, 1997
the most significant thing about the bombing is that it exposed the low security levels surrounding federal buildings, that a crime of this magnitude could be carried out without any warning. After this legislation was passed to increase security around government buildings, which has prevented over 60 domestic attacks.
On April 17, 1995, McVeigh rented a Ryder truck and then McVeigh and Nichols
About 90 minutes later, Timothy McVeigh was stopped by an Oklahoma state trooper who arrested him on a firearms charge. Two days later, shortly before he was to be released, McVeigh was charged in the bombing. His friend Terry Nichols was arrested in Kansas, and formally charged with the bombing on May 10. Both men were indicted on murder and conspiracy charges, and the case was moved to Denver where McVeigh and Nichols were to be tried separately.
McVeigh was found guilty on 11 counts of murder and conspiracy on June 2, 1996, and, on Aug. 14, he was formally sentenced to death. On Dec. 23, 1997
the most significant thing about the bombing is that it exposed the low security levels surrounding federal buildings, that a crime of this magnitude could be carried out without any warning. After this legislation was passed to increase security around government buildings, which has prevented over 60 domestic attacks.
On April 17, 1995, McVeigh rented a Ryder truck and then McVeigh and Nichols