May 1, 1995: FBI Searches Arizona Home of Accused Oklahoma City Bomber

Federal investigators begin searching the Kingman, Arizona, home of Michael Fortier, a known friend and associate of accused Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh (see March 24, 1988 - Late 1990, May-September 1993, February - July 1994, September 13, 1994 and After, September 13, 1994, October 4 - Late October, 1994, October 21 or 22, 1994, December 16, 1994 and After, 8:35 a.m. - 9:02 a.m. April 19, 1995, April 19, 1995 and After, April 21, 1995, and April 24, 1995). Agents have been questioning Fortier and his wife Lori for days (see April 23 - May 6, 1995). A dozen cars filled with about 20 agents drive onto Fortier’s property; Fortier’s trailer home sports an American flag and a yellow Revolutionary War-era banner showing a coiled snake and a “Don’t Tread on Me” slogan. The agents rope off the area with yellow tape. As the agents approach Fortier’s home, a neighbor and friend, James Rosencrans, emerges from his house and advances on the agents carrying a pistol and a rifle. Rosencrans gets into an argument with sheriff’s deputies, and is arrested for disorderly conduct. [New York Times, 5/1/1995] Rosencrans will not remain in custody. Soon after the altercation, he will tell a reporter that when he heard the news of the bombing, he thought of McVeigh and said at the time, “Our boy’s been busy.” [New York Times, 7/3/1995]