Oklahoma City bombing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oklahoma City bombing |
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The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building two days after the bombing
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| Location | Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States |
| Coordinates | 35°28′22.4″N 97°31′01″W / 35.472889°N 97.51694°W |
| Date | Wednesday April 19, 1995 9:02 a.m. CST (UTC–5) |
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Attack type
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truck bomb |
| Deaths | 168 |
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Non-fatal injuries
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680+ |
| Perpetrators | Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, Michael Fortier, Lori Fortier |
| Motive | Retaliation for the Waco Siege and Ruby Ridge |
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrible attack that happened on April 19, 1995. A large bomb exploded outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This building was used by the U.S. government.
The bombing caused a lot of damage to the building. It was so badly hurt that it had to be taken down later. Two men, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, were responsible for setting off a truck bomb. This sad event killed 168 people and hurt more than 800 others. For a while, it was the deadliest act of terrorism in the United States, until the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Contents
What Was the Oklahoma City Bombing?
The Oklahoma City bombing was a very serious attack. It happened on April 19, 1995, at 9:02 in the morning. A truck filled with explosives was parked outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building. When the bomb went off, it caused a huge explosion.
The explosion destroyed a big part of the nine-story building. Many cars nearby were also damaged. The blast was so powerful that it broke windows in buildings many blocks away. It was a shocking event for the whole country.
Who Was Behind the Attack?
The main person who planned and carried out the bombing was Timothy McVeigh. He was helped by Terry Nichols. They built the bomb using a truck and different chemicals.
McVeigh and Nichols were angry at the U.S. government. They believed the government had too much power. They wanted to get back at the government for things that had happened before.
Why Did the Bombing Happen?
Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols said they bombed the building as a way to get revenge. They were upset about two specific events. One was the Waco Siege in 1993. This was when federal agents had a standoff with a group called the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. The standoff ended in a fire that killed many people.
The other event was Ruby Ridge in 1992. This was another standoff between federal agents and a family in Idaho. These events made McVeigh and Nichols very angry at the government. They chose April 19 for the bombing because it was the second anniversary of the Waco siege fire.
The Aftermath of the Bombing
After the bombing, rescue workers rushed to help. They searched through the rubble for survivors. People from all over the country offered help and support. It was a very difficult time for Oklahoma City.
The attack led to a huge investigation. Timothy McVeigh was caught soon after the bombing. Terry Nichols was also arrested. Both were later found guilty for their roles in the attack. The bombing changed how the U.S. government thought about security. It also led to new laws to fight terrorism.
Images for kids
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McVeigh and Nichols cited the federal government's actions against the Branch Davidian compound in the 1993 Waco siege (shown above) as a reason why they perpetrated the Oklahoma City bombing.
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Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building as it appeared before its destruction
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An aerial view, looking from the north, of the destruction
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FBI sketch (left) and McVeigh (right).
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McVeigh about to exit the Perry, Oklahoma, courthouse on April 21, 1995
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The site of the building after it was demolished, three months after the bombing
See also
In Spanish: Atentado de Oklahoma City para niños
