On This Day In History, The Unimaginable Happened In Oklahoma And It's Impossible To Forget

The powerful bomb inside the Ryder truck was made out of a deadly cocktail of agricultural fertilizer, diesel fuel, and other chemicals. The total weight of the truck was almost 5,000 pounds. The blast killed 168 people and injured more than 680 others. Over 324 buildings were damaged causing more than $650 million worth of damage.

90 minutes after the explosion took place, Timothy McVeigh was stopped by an Oklahoma State Trooper for driving without a license plate. He was arrested for being in possession of illegal weapons and within two days was charged, along with Terry Nichols, for the domestic terrorist attack in Oklahoma. The motivation for McVeigh and Nichols' domestic terrorist attack was retaliation against the government handling of the Waco Branch Davidian incident that ended on April 19, 1993 (same date as OKC bombing).

The blast was felt and heard up to 55 miles away. Seismometers in Oklahoma City and Norman recorded the blast at a measurement of 3.0 on the Richter scale. The Alfred P. Murrah Building was built on March 2, 1977, bombed on April 19, 1995, and demolished on May 23, 1995.

The Oklahoma City National Memorial was built in its place. The stated purpose of the memorial reads, "We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope, and serenity."

Please take a moment to remember those who lost their lives on this day in 1995. They will forever be in our hearts.