19 years ago today...

Quote: The Oklahoma City bombing was a domestic terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. The bombing killed 168 people and injured more than 680 others. The blast destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a 16-block radius, destroyed or burned 86 cars, and shattered glass in 258 nearby buildings, causing at least an estimated $652 million worth of damage. 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.

Within 90 minutes of the explosion, Timothy McVeigh was stopped by Oklahoma State Trooper Charlie Hanger for driving without a license plate and arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon. Forensic evidence quickly linked McVeigh and Terry Nichols to the attack; Nichols was arrested, and within days both were charged. Michael and Lori Fortier were later identified as accomplices. McVeigh, an American militia movement sympathizer who was a Gulf War veteran, had detonated an explosive-filled Ryder rental truck parked in front of the building. McVeigh's co-conspirator, Terry Nichols, had assisted in the bomb preparation. Motivated by his hatred of the federal government and angered by what he perceived as its mishandling of the 1993 Waco siege and the Ruby Ridge incident in 1992, McVeigh timed his attack to coincide with the second anniversary of the deadly fire that ended the siege at Waco.

The official investigation, known as "OKBOMB", saw FBI agents conduct 28,000 interviews, amass 3.5 short tons (3.2 t) of evidence, and collect nearly one billion pieces of information. The bombers were tried and convicted in 1997. McVeigh was executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2001, and Nichols was sentenced to life in prison. Michael and Lori Fortier testified against McVeigh and Nichols; Michael was sentenced to 12 years in prison for failing to warn the U.S. government, and Lori received immunity from prosecution in exchange for her testimony.

As a result of the bombing, the U.S. government passed the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which tightened the standards for habeas corpus in the United States,[16] as well as legislation designed to increase the protection around federal buildings to deter future terrorist attacks. On April 19, 2000, the Oklahoma City National Memorial was dedicated on the site of the Murrah Federal Building, commemorating the victims of the bombing. Annual remembrance services are held at the same time of day as the explosion occurred.

I will never forget this image:

Around here we drive with our lights on all day.

We will never forget

Here is the implosion.

That's a very touching memorial. I stopped by with my then two-year-old daughter and went through briefly on my way back to Dallas. I had not seen it at night.

I remember when it happened. It was pretty unbelievable. At the time I never thought I'd see anything like it again.

I dated a girl who was about a block away when the bomb went off. She used to always cry when it got brought up.

I was working on a case that was scheduled to go to court that week in the federal courthouse (across the street). The case got continued, so I took the time to head up to Austin for a State Bar CLE conference (and some golf). News reports were starting to come through as I drove. Was headed through Brenham, on the ramp where 290 West exits to 290 West (those familiar with the area know exactly where I'm talking about) when all of a sudden it hit me--but for the continuance, I would have been across the street. Almost lost it and ran off the road, and that's not the place to do that.

(04-20-2014 05:33 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I remember when it happened. It was pretty unbelievable. At the time I never thought I'd see anything like it again.

I dated a girl who was about a block away when the bomb went off. She used to always cry when it got brought up.

If any of y'all ever come through here again, the real experience is in the museum. The Memorial is a beautiful area but to really understand what happened you need to go through the museum. The outside still has pieces of shrapnel embedded in the concrete.

I walked this one time and it affected my for several days. It is too painful to do it again. It is extremely intense. In this video you will hear the audio of the actual bomb going off, along with the pictures of those who lost their lives.

I know I'm politicizing this, but after this event, did anyone call for banning fuel oil and fertilizer?

(04-20-2014 05:55 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I know I'm politicizing this, but after this event, did anyone call for banning fuel oil and fertilizer?

They put heavier restrictions on ammonium nitrate fertilizer sales.

(04-20-2014 05:53 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  

(04-20-2014 05:33 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I remember when it happened. It was pretty unbelievable. At the time I never thought I'd see anything like it again.

I dated a girl who was about a block away when the bomb went off. She used to always cry when it got brought up.

If any of y'all ever come through here again, the real experience is in the museum. The Memorial is a beautiful area but to really understand what happened you need to go through the museum. The outside still has pieces of shrapnel embedded in the concrete.

I walked this one time and it affected my for several days. It is too painful to do it again. It is extremely intense. In this video you will hear the audio of the actual bomb going off, along with the pictures of those who lost their lives.

If I ever travel near there I will make every effort to see the memorial and the museum. Many years ago my parents visited the memorial site while traveling out west and were very moved by the experience. I have also been to New York City before the 9/11 tragedy and want to see the memorial and museum at the former World Trade Center site.

(04-20-2014 06:24 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(04-20-2014 05:53 PM)oklalittledixie Wrote:  

(04-20-2014 05:33 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I remember when it happened. It was pretty unbelievable. At the time I never thought I'd see anything like it again.

I dated a girl who was about a block away when the bomb went off. She used to always cry when it got brought up.

If any of y'all ever come through here again, the real experience is in the museum. The Memorial is a beautiful area but to really understand what happened you need to go through the museum. The outside still has pieces of shrapnel embedded in the concrete.

I walked this one time and it affected my for several days. It is too painful to do it again. It is extremely intense. In this video you will hear the audio of the actual bomb going off, along with the pictures of those who lost their lives.

If I ever travel near there I will make every effort to see the memorial and the museum. Many years ago my parents visited the memorial site while traveling out west and were very moved by the experience. I have also been to New York City before the 9/11 tragedy and want to see the memorial and museum at the former World Trade Center site.

It brings grown men to tears. It's a must visit.

I think they did a good job with the entire area.

(04-20-2014 05:55 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  I know I'm politicizing this, but after this event, did anyone call for banning fuel oil and fertilizer?

nor right wing extremism.