Nearly 30 years ago, former FBI Special Agent Barry Black, with just a year of experience as a bomb technician, responded to the deadliest homegrown terrorist attack in U.S. history.
A Horrific Scene
Black arrived at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building around 9:30 AM on April 19, 1995, just half an hour after ex-soldier Timothy McVeigh detonated a bomb that destroyed a third of the nine-story building, killing 168 victims.
“It was horrific and chaotic. The scope and magnitude of the destruction was something I had never seen before,” said Black. “I’ve sadly seen similar since, but other than the first World Trade Center attack, the U.S. had not seen an attack like this.”
Assessing the Damage
As a bomb tech, Black’s responsibility was to assess the scene. He was told it could have been a plane crash or a gas main explosion, but it was clear it was much more severe.
“The explosion registered a 6.0 on the Richter scale and was felt an estimated 55 miles from the scene,” said Black. It left cars upturned and damaged over 320 nearby buildings.
The Victims
Among the 168 victims were 19 children, as the Murrah building housed a daycare on the second floor. The last deceased was a nurse responding to the emergency when a piece of falling debris struck and killed her.
Black himself had a personal connection to the tragedy. He picked up his paycheck every week from the building, and the tellers who handed it to him were among the victims.
Identifying the Culprit
Through relentless investigations, investigators were able to piece together McVeigh’s and his accomplice Terry Nichols’ motives for the horrific act: anger over the Waco and Ruby Ridge sieges.
“I’m confident we know his motivation. It was intended to be the first blow in an upheaval and overthrow of the federal government,” said Black. “Intent is intangible but required to prove.”
Evidence collected from McVeigh’s clothing and a business card with a note about purchasing TNT linked him to the crime.
Lessons Learned
Black emphasizes the importance of the lessons learned from the Oklahoma City bombing investigation, which he teaches at the University of Central Oklahoma Forensic Science Institute.
“There are specific things we would look for like bomb parts, vehicle parts, and relay that information quickly to the command post so that the external investigation can begin,” Black explained. “That’s how we had McVeigh and Nichols in custody in about 54 hours after detonation.”
A Massive Undertaking
The investigation and response to the Oklahoma City bombing were a testament to the collaboration and efficiency of law enforcement agencies.
“It was a massive undertaking with law enforcement work[ing] very, very well together,” said Black.
McVeigh’s Fate
Timothy McVeigh was executed in 2001 at age 33, while his accomplice Terry Nichols was sentenced to life in prison.
Data sourced from: foxnews.com
