Officials believe incident was suicide

By James S. Tyree

Transcript Staff Writer

The investigation into an apparent suicide bombing on the University of Oklahoma campus Saturday evening moved to the nearby Parkview Apartment complex early today.

Law enforcement authorities evacuated about 35 residents of the university-owned complex this morning. The apartments are south of the Brandt Park Duck Pond on Lindsey Street and about half a mile from the blast site.

The blast happened shortly after 7:30 p.m. on the South Oval, across the street from the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, where more than 80,000 people were watching the OU-Kansas State football game. One person who responded to the scene said she heard the blast from four miles away.

"We are apparently dealing with an individual suicide which is under full investigation," OU President David L. Boren said in a statement. "At no time was anyone in the stadium in danger. Law enforcement officers and bomb experts on site were activated in the area immediately."

OU officials on Sunday clarified that no second bomb was found. Boren visited with those displaced from the apartments. They were moved to a more comfortable area, officials said.

Officials established a crime scene and quickly put police tape from Asp Avenue west to the western edge of the Van Vleet Oval, between Brooks Street and Lindsey Avenue.

Early Sunday, Norman police, OU police, FBI and other federal agents were combing the scene.

On Saturday, Boren said he ordered a search of the garage area near the stadium along with lower levels outside the stadium.

The suicide happened in or near the George Lynn Cross botany/microbiology building the oval's east side.

Damage to the microbiology building or any other structure couldn't be seen from the distant perimeter.

Sgt. Gary Robinson of OUPD confirmed one death, but gave no further details on the person or whether anyone else was injured. He said detectives were unable to investigate the scene right away because other personnel needed time to thoroughly sweep the area for additional explosive devices.

"One fatality is all we know right now," he said.