On This Day in 1997: Timothy McVeigh Convicted in Oklahoma City Bombing Case

Timothy J. McVeigh was convicted on federal murder charges on June 2, 1997, for his role in the April 19, 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, one of the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. The attack targeted the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City, where a rented truck packed with explosives detonated at 9:02 a.m. The blast killed 168 people, including 19 children, and injured several hundred others.

According to the FBI, McVeigh, a former U.S. Army soldier, parked the truck in front of the building, exited the vehicle, locked it, and headed toward a getaway car before triggering a timed fuse. The explosion devastated the area, flattening part of the federal building, destroying dozens of vehicles, and damaging or destroying more than 300 nearby buildings. Authorities later described the scene as resembling a war zone.

The bombing shocked the nation and drew attention to the threat of domestic extremism and anti-government violence. The FBI has called it the worst act of homegrown terrorism in U.S. history. McVeigh said he carried out the attack to retaliate for the federal raid in Waco, Texas.

McVeigh was convicted on 11 federal counts, including murder, conspiracy, and using a weapon of mass destruction. He was sentenced to death and executed in 2001. His accomplice, Terry L. Nichols, also a former Army soldier, was later convicted in federal court on conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter charges. He received a life sentence, and in 2004 was also convicted on state murder charges and given 161 consecutive life terms without parole.

Following the bombing, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was demolished. The site was later transformed into a memorial and park honoring the victims and survivors. The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum continues to preserve the history of the attack and its aftermath, serving as a place of remembrance and reflection on the lasting impact of the tragedy.