By — Frank Carlson Frank Carlson By — Adam Kemp Adam Kemp Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/watch-an-oklahoma-city-bombing-survivor-on-why-hes-worried-about-extremism-today Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH: An Oklahoma City bombing survivor on why he’s worried about extremism today Nation Updated on Apr 20, 2023 10:43 AM EDT — Published on Apr 19, 2023 4:23 PM EDT Sitting in his cubicle the morning of April 19, 1995, on the ground floor of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Dennis Purifoy remembers seeing the flash of an explosion on his computer screen. He remembers falling from his chair and being covered by debris that blocked out all the light. Purifoy’s desk sat at the opposite end of the building from where a truck exploded. He believes the cubicles between him and the explosion shielded him from some of its devastating effects. Sixteen of Purifoy’s co-workers were killed in the blast and 24 people visiting the Social Security office where he worked were killed that morning. “There was just so much destruction,” Purifoy told the PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff. “The floors above it pancaked down and there was one — one of my coworkers that died was 15, 20 feet from me, but she was standing up, so she was hit [by] some debris and she died.” Dennis Purifoy seen inside the Social Security offices of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, in March 1995. Photo by Frank Carlson/PBS NewsHour Purifoy survived the largest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. Far-right extremist Timothy McVeigh detonated a truck outside the federal building, resulting in the deaths of 168 people, including 19 children. Purifoy didn’t have a good understanding of hate before that day. “I was naive and innocent like most people were, I think. And a lot of people still are,” he said. A view of some cubicles inside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in a photo provided by Dennis Purifoy. Photo by Frank Carlson/PBS NewsHour In an “America at a Crossroads” report airing Wednesday, Woodruff will explore what motivated the attack 28 years ago and how this act of terrorism relates to growing concerns over extremism in the country today. The attack, plotted by McVeigh and Terry Nichols, injured more than 600 people in addition to those killed. A third, Michael Fortier, knew about the plot and didn’t alert authorities. McVeigh, in particular, was influenced by a combination of personal grievances and radicalization by white supremacist and anti-government ideologies. McVeigh, a veteran of the Persian Gulf War, became disaffected after failing to join the special forces. He was also deeply angered by the government’s handling of the 1992 Ruby Ridge, Idaho, incident and the 1993 Waco, Texas, siege, two events that have also influenced right-wing militia groups. McVeigh targeted a federal building as a symbol of government authority, intending the attack to send a message and inspire others to rise against the government. Purifoy went to McVeigh’s arraignment to try and better understand this person who caused so much pain and suffering. Purifoy remembered being rattled at how emotionless McVeigh was at the hearing and said he left with even more questions. “I never did understand how he could think anybody could think it would be OK to attack people who were trying to serve the public, servicing American citizens, just doing a job to support their families and to help people,” Purifoy said. A pair of mourners tour the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Photo by Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Now, Purifoy hopes that law enforcement agencies pay enough attention to far-right extremism brewing in the country. Nor is there enough discussion about it, he said. “I think it’s out of sight, out of mind for most people. And most of us in America, we don’t want to think of our fellow citizens as being capable of terrorism — but they are. And I think there’s an element too, in our current society of the divisions and polarizations in the tribal thinking that we’re in now, where it’s a lot easier for people to think it’s me or us versus them and whoever the ‘them’ is. I’m more worried about that today than I have been in a while.” Please email crossroads@newshour.org, if you have thoughts about America’s deep divisions. We won’t be able to answer every message, but we promise to acknowledge as many as we can. Support PBS News Hour Your donation makes a difference in these uncertain times. Give now By — Frank Carlson Frank Carlson Frank Carlson is the Senior Coordinating Producer for America at a Crossroads. He's been making video at the NewsHour since 2010. @frankncarlson By — Adam Kemp Adam Kemp Adam Kemp is a Communities Correspondent for the PBS NewsHour based in Oklahoma.
Sitting in his cubicle the morning of April 19, 1995, on the ground floor of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Dennis Purifoy remembers seeing the flash of an explosion on his computer screen. He remembers falling from his chair and being covered by debris that blocked out all the light. Purifoy’s desk sat at the opposite end of the building from where a truck exploded. He believes the cubicles between him and the explosion shielded him from some of its devastating effects. Sixteen of Purifoy’s co-workers were killed in the blast and 24 people visiting the Social Security office where he worked were killed that morning. “There was just so much destruction,” Purifoy told the PBS NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff. “The floors above it pancaked down and there was one — one of my coworkers that died was 15, 20 feet from me, but she was standing up, so she was hit [by] some debris and she died.” Dennis Purifoy seen inside the Social Security offices of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, in March 1995. Photo by Frank Carlson/PBS NewsHour Purifoy survived the largest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. Far-right extremist Timothy McVeigh detonated a truck outside the federal building, resulting in the deaths of 168 people, including 19 children. Purifoy didn’t have a good understanding of hate before that day. “I was naive and innocent like most people were, I think. And a lot of people still are,” he said. A view of some cubicles inside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in a photo provided by Dennis Purifoy. Photo by Frank Carlson/PBS NewsHour In an “America at a Crossroads” report airing Wednesday, Woodruff will explore what motivated the attack 28 years ago and how this act of terrorism relates to growing concerns over extremism in the country today. The attack, plotted by McVeigh and Terry Nichols, injured more than 600 people in addition to those killed. A third, Michael Fortier, knew about the plot and didn’t alert authorities. McVeigh, in particular, was influenced by a combination of personal grievances and radicalization by white supremacist and anti-government ideologies. McVeigh, a veteran of the Persian Gulf War, became disaffected after failing to join the special forces. He was also deeply angered by the government’s handling of the 1992 Ruby Ridge, Idaho, incident and the 1993 Waco, Texas, siege, two events that have also influenced right-wing militia groups. McVeigh targeted a federal building as a symbol of government authority, intending the attack to send a message and inspire others to rise against the government. Purifoy went to McVeigh’s arraignment to try and better understand this person who caused so much pain and suffering. Purifoy remembered being rattled at how emotionless McVeigh was at the hearing and said he left with even more questions. “I never did understand how he could think anybody could think it would be OK to attack people who were trying to serve the public, servicing American citizens, just doing a job to support their families and to help people,” Purifoy said. A pair of mourners tour the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Photo by Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Now, Purifoy hopes that law enforcement agencies pay enough attention to far-right extremism brewing in the country. Nor is there enough discussion about it, he said. “I think it’s out of sight, out of mind for most people. And most of us in America, we don’t want to think of our fellow citizens as being capable of terrorism — but they are. And I think there’s an element too, in our current society of the divisions and polarizations in the tribal thinking that we’re in now, where it’s a lot easier for people to think it’s me or us versus them and whoever the ‘them’ is. I’m more worried about that today than I have been in a while.” Please email crossroads@newshour.org, if you have thoughts about America’s deep divisions. We won’t be able to answer every message, but we promise to acknowledge as many as we can. Support PBS News Hour Your donation makes a difference in these uncertain times. Give now