Oklahoma City Bombing
What Happened
A truck bomb detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, killing 168 people, including 19 children in the building's daycare center, and injuring over 680 others. The attack, carried out by Timothy McVeigh with the assistance of Terry Nichols, was motivated by anti-government extremism and remains the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.
Historical Context
The bombing prompted major changes in federal building security and counterterrorism policy, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial now stands on the site as a tribute to the victims. McVeigh was convicted and executed in 2001; Nichols is serving life in prison.
Timeline of the Event
- 9:02 AM — A truck bomb detonates outside the Murrah Federal Building.
- The building's north face collapses, trapping victims in the rubble.
- 168 people are killed, including 19 children in the building's daycare center.
- Timothy McVeigh is arrested within 90 minutes on an unrelated traffic stop.
- McVeigh is later convicted and executed; accomplice Terry Nichols receives life in prison.
The Five Seconds Connection
In Five Seconds Too Late, the trio lands on the street outside the building moments before the blast, forced to witness the explosion from a distance too close for comfort. It's one of the jumps that leaves Lucy questioning aloud whether the device has any logic to its choices at all, or whether it's simply cruel.