Steven Burmeister entered the FBI as a Special Agent in 1987 and was later assigned to FBIHQ as a Supervisory Special Agent in the Materials Analysis Unit, FBI Laboratory where he focused on explosives analysis in terrorist cases. Mr. Burmeister managed the on-site collection of physical evidence for explosives' residues in a number of high profile bombing investigations impacting the United States. Such prominent matters included the World Trade Bombing 1993, Oklahoma City Bombing, Khobar Towers bombing, Unabomber, and TWA 800 crash to name a few. Mr. Burmeister retired from the FBI in 2012.
The Oklahoma City Bombing on April 19, 1995 by all accounts is listed as the worst act of homegrown terrorism in our nation’s history. The bombing also resulted in a devastating loss of life, with 168 people killed, including 19 children, and more than 500 injured. After the bombing, vast resources from all over the country flooded Oklahoma City to aid and recover victims of the blast. At the same time, Federal, State, and local agencies spun into gear to find the perpetrators of the event. Hard work, and in some instances sprinkled with plain luck, led investigators to suspects and eventual prosecution in a series of trials. In the aftermath, investigators and other public safety members vowed to learn from this case not only to prevent but also to better handle incidents like this in the future.
In this four-hour keynote presentation, Mr. Burmeister will lead a detailed examination of the circumstances leading up to and after the bombing. The presentation will also explore the many lessons learned from this event which have been applied to other investigations both domestic and international over the years.