Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on the 29th Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing

The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in recognition of the 29th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing, which took place on April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma:

“Twenty-nine years after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, we continue to remember the 168 people, including 19 children, who were stolen from their loved ones, as well as the hundreds who were injured and forever changed. We continue to mourn alongside the families and the entire Oklahoma City community devastated by the attack.

“On this day, twenty-nine years ago, I watched in horror from my desk at the Justice Department as reports came in that there had been an explosion at the Murrah building in Oklahoma City.  My colleagues and I gathered in front of a TV in my office and saw our first glimpse of the aftermath of the horrific attack. Forty-eight hours later, I traveled to Oklahoma to represent the United States in the first court hearing of the perpetrator, Timothy McVeigh.

“I will never forget the devastation that was inflicted on the entire Oklahoma City community. I will also never forget the extraordinary grace and love the community demonstrated in the face of that horrific tragedy. The Justice Department will never forget those who were lost, and we remained committed to working to prevent and disrupt such horrific attacks before they can occur.

“That means continuing to counter the threat that both foreign and domestic terrorism pose to our country as we grapple with a heightened global threat environment.

“It means continuing to hold accountable those who target Americans who serve the public with threats and acts of violence. 

“And it means doing this work without ever losing sight of our responsibility to protect the civil rights of everyone in our country.

“As we mark 29 years since April 19, 1995, we renew our commitment to remembering what happened, to honoring those we lost, and to doing everything in our power to prevent future tragedies.”