Rich Haskell: Well, you know, that's a really good question. I got a chance to talk to Jennie Sorensen Johnson, who was seven when David Young rolled a bomb into her first grade classroom. They lived in a mobile home with Princess, Davids youngest daughter from his first marriage. A Project of the Wyoming Historical Society. Both David and Doris had ties to white supremacist groups, including the Posse Comitatus and the Aryan Nations. By Jamie Armstrong May 22, 2015 09:35 AM MDT. He was dismissed, however, from this position shortly after his six-month probationary period. David Young entered the school with his wife transporting a large gasoline-filled device that appeared to be a bomb. Oral histories, memoirs and drawings began to reveal a narrative of fortune rather than misfortune. Contact us at editor@wyohistory.org for information on levels and types of available sponsorships. Below the jug in the bottom basket were two tuna fish cans filled with a mixture of aluminum powder and flour meant to aerosolize and deflagrate following detonation, each with its own blasting cap. I don't think that they were planningor David was planning on the ceiling tiles in the school. They believed in reincarnation, which probably led, in part, to the creation of Davids Brave New World idea. The Cokeville Town Hall is located at 110 Pine St. For more information, visit the website of the Cokeville Chamber of Commerce at http://www.cokevillewy.com or call (307) 459-4195. The kids could just go to the bathroom right from their classroom. He shot and killed her. TC is one of my heroes. (Laughs) Yeah, I understand what you're saying, but it was. So you got that and you got the flour and the gasoline and that's what it was all designed to do in millisecond delays. The two died after the bomb. Cook, the school's secretary and the first person taken hostage, could tell Young's threats were serious. For me, what has impressed me about the film is not necessarily the story of Angels (which are remarkable), but that the majority of the 154 hostages chose to see God's hand in their lives that day. Now you are a bomb technician. I had the chance to watch the pre-screening of the film and it was very emotional. And what happens if they trigger something accidently?" 96 views, 2 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from J.Cano: Law & Order: SVU - Best Episode Doris accidently triggered the bomb by motioning to her hostages with her arms. One of 'em was in Cokeville and one was in the bus that he did the experiment with. I didn't touch the body at all. Rich Haskell: Well, run fordo another term as sheriff and then retire, and my wife and I are going to doshe loves genealogy. While he was writing his philosophy, Zero Equals Infinity, Doris took part-time jobs including housekeeping and waitressing to support their meager lifestyle. President Hinkley, President Monson, and President Faust. There's a piece of wood in there that separates the jaws of a clothespin and in that clothespin there are two metal connections that the wires were hooked to which made the electrical connection with the bomb. They had to come and get my car and get me another one. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the convicted killer whose 1974 murders spawned the "Amityville Horror" franchise, died last week while serving a 25 years-to-life prison term, officials said Monday . In 1986 , 154 children and teachers survived the bombing of Cokeville Elementary School. Casper Chapter, Wyoming Archaeological Society, June Frison chapter, Wyoming Archeological Society. Number one, that's where he worked. Cokeville officially has only536 people in it and two LDS wards that meet in the same chapel. I just stayed right there and we processed the scene and did the scene. Well, when I arrived and saw that body layin' on the front lawn, I was told that was Doris. Mark Junge: And you know, in Sue and I's conversation with these dozen people we've talked to now, seems like they also feel the same way you do. A new movie is coming out on Friday called "The Cokeville Miracle" that depicts not just this terrible event, but the various miraculous stories that emerged afterward. Carbon County School District No. When did Cokeville miracle happen? [4], Prior to the hostage crisis, David had tested a similar bomb in a sealed school bus in Arizona, destroying it.[5]. "We could tell that he was becoming very nervous. Cokeville Bombing. Undated scrapbook. All the hostages escaped, though 79 were hospitalized with burns and injuries. Rich Haskell: Well, after I arrived it took probably three to four hours to make sure everything was neutral and everything was not going to be a threat any longer. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Rich Haskell: Yep. I believe a presence was entering the room at about that time. So he did try that device. Rich Haskell: I sometimes do, but you can't let yourself think about it. Audio/Video Recording. Too many of 'em to try to remember their birthdays. So we took the tiles off and went up into the ceiling and crawled up into the upper space up there and found a .45 slug up embedded into the iron girders up in the wall, and thought, okay, where did that come from? The incident was detailed in the book The Cokeville Miracle: When Angels Intervene[12] by Hartt Wixom and his wife Judene, published by Cedar Fort, Inc., which formed the basis for a CBS made-for-TV movie titled To Save the Children. David had the makeshift bomb attached to his body and housed inside a grocery cart, while Doris and Princess carried an arsenal of rifles, handguns and ammunition, as well as the Zero Equals Infinity handouts. Debbie Sparks and Steven Moore, both EMTs, discuss on May 9 the elementary school bombing. Teachers were confused and baffled by Young's nonsensical, strange writing. Mark Junge: You think when we talk to you to bring this up againI know you're emotional about itbut does it hurt you to talk about this? Mark Junge: Well, you've been blessed in a lot of ways. Mark Junge: In fact, didn't you say you burned up your engine? In the classroom, David held the gasoline bomb, with the triggering mechanism attached to a string tied around his wrist. On that Friday afternoon in their quiet, rural town, a deranged couple entered the communitys elementary school, took those inside hostage and detonated a bomb in a first grade classroom. Kind of a synopsis of what they were going to do and what their plans were and the whole thing. He was in high fevers until the therapist allowed him to speak openly. Young met his second wife, Doris Waters, while in Cokeville. Rich Haskell: Yes. Rich Haskell: Because of the response and because of the emails and everything that took place. When I arrived I could see out on the lawn, there was a black object laying out on the grass. Mark Junge: EOD. NOTE: Witness to Miracles was published in 2006 by Pronghorn Press, www.pronghornpress.org . With fear that David might become unhinged, the teachers decided to make an ~8-foot square of masking tape for his own personal space. No, we can't do this. The basket, the shelves. How has that experience shaped your life? Even though the majority of the townspeople are LDS, there are lots of people of a variety of faiths in the room that day. I actually hadn't thought of doing that, yet. I think it's because of the ages of the kids, to start with. So many of 'em thatI don't know. Amy Bagaso Williams with her husband and four children. May 16, 1986, will never be forgotten by the residents of Cokeville, Wyo. When you say what cut the wire? Interview by Mark Junge. May 12, 2011, 2:30am PDT. I actually have a pretty clear memory of the events that day, being 12 years old. One of the miracles that day was that not a single person was lost. We know he built two of 'em. The only two fatalities were David and Doris Young. At that time, about 500 people lived in Cokeville, and there were slightly more than 100 students attending the elementary school. I gathered up some of the equipment that I would need and a change of clothes and proceeded to Cokeville. and detonated a bomb inside. Just like with a pair of pliers, pair of snips. You know something about bombs. In the movie, it shows the tension building towards the prayer and then shortly after the bomb went off. I was up there as part of his protection team. Twenty-five years ago on Monday, a man and his wife pushed a homemade gasoline bomb into Cokeville's sole elementary school and demanded $300 million in ransom. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. I do think the key is talking about it often and early. The hostage takers took part in the singing. The kids couldn't have cut it. Cokeville Trying to Rebuild A Normal and Secure Life.. For more information about our sponsors and the people behind WyoHistory.org, visit our About Us page: Hostage crisis at the elementary school in Cokeville, Wyo. She was a total torch! I'm portrayed as the little red haired kid with glasses that asks about the AK-47. Rich Haskell: Yes, I did. Well, after interviewing some of the people, what had happened, the bombDavid Young had set the bomb to have what they call a dead-man switch. May 24, 1986 12 AM PT. In Cokeville, Nowhere, Wyo. Had a gallon milk jug full of gasoline on one level, had aluminum powder, flour and those two components was in tuna fish cans directly under the gasoline bomb. She is a trained rural historian who specializes in oral history, childhood history and memory studies. The woman who died with her husband as they held an elementary school hostage with a gasoline bomb last week was not killed by the . One hostage observed a birthday on that day and songs were sung in his honor. I did see the lighting had changed in the room, and it was right in the same timeline as everyone else's witness. Mark Junge: And that's the lesson we learn. But David refused to reveal his plans entirely until moments before they unfolded. Rich Haskell: Well, I like to think I'm a better person because of it. I was a little bit nervous, of course. It's a little basket that has different layers on it. There are some survivors that couldn't believe how accurate much of it was. Mark Junge: Do you think David or Doris would have cut it? The bomb did detonate and fire, thick black smoke and toxi fumes filled the room. The Cokeville Elementary School hostage crisis occurred on May 16, 1986, in Cokeville, Wyoming, United States, when former town marshal David Young 44, and his wife Doris Young 47, took 136 children and 18 adults hostage at Cokeville Elementary School . One teacher was shot when he tried to flee,. Jessica Clark, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of history and political science at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs, Wyo. To my right is Sue Castaneda who is the Wyoming Oral History Project Director, and across the table from me is Rich Haskell, who is a certified bomb technician. Dr. Clark is the faculty advisor of the Sweet Memories: Research Group at Western. The tuna fish cans with the two floury would be spread out in the air likehave you ever seen a grain elevator explosion? Of what you would picture an angel, with the wings and, Mark Junge: Well, if I'm a skeptic, I could say, "Well, that's just the way the flames shot up.". Witnesses later testified that just before the explosion David Young had connected the explosive to his wife. Read more Lenita's father Rocky was a fifth grade teacher at Cokeville Elementary School at the time of the bombing, Lenita was a seventh grader. Mark Junge: Do you think he took up thatwanted to take that up because of you? Rich Haskell: I was cookin' right along, yes I was! Where you find brackets [ ] I have added words for explanation or to complete an awkward sentence. The kids couldn't have done it. I've been involved with law enforcement since 1977 in Sweetwater County. Rich Haskell: Were above the level of the kids, yeah. Weredo you think it had something to do with angels? The mood did not lift with the singing and teachers quickly negotiated with the hostage takers to get items from the library to help the kids get their minds off the siege,[8] and help to pass the time. But shortly after entering the school, Princess decided to rebel. He used to work in Cokeville. Because in the bus, everything was solid in the school bus. Here is a local story from the 20 year anniversary (we are at the 29th year now), What's your side of the story? Seven people in the Chicago area died after ingesting Tylenol capsules laced with potassium cyanide. In 2006, the Cokeville Miracle Foundation compiled a book of recollections about the day from parents, emergency workers and former hostages. Rich Haskell: Well, I did learn later that the kids saw the angels. On May 16, 1986, an elementary school in Cokeville, Wyoming, was held hostage by a couple with a bomb. Mark Junge: Well, yes. That your life could change just at a blink of an eye. It became a story of a miracle rather than a tragedy. How did it affect your family long-term? So if the state didn't pay him, he figured the Mormon church would pay him because the Mormon church has money also. It's a continuous training thing and years and years and years of continuous training with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, with the fire marshals and now that it has come into it with the hazardous materials and everything else. Okay? Edit: Thank you so much for your questions! Dr. Clark is the faculty advisor of the Sweet Memories: Research Group at Western. COKEVILLE, Wyo. [6] With permission, the teachers brought in books, art supplies and a television to help keep the children occupied. Two Powell residents, Lenita Moore (a science teacher at Powell High School) and John Miller (a longtime choir director at Powell High School who retired in 2020), remember being in Cokeville during the bombing. After a two-and-a-half hour standoff, the children were becoming restless, so the teachers preoccupied the kids in the form of movies, games, prayer, and books. When I walked inside of the classroomit was a kindergarten classroom which meant that the desks were smaller, everything was smaller because of the smaller children. Contact us at editor@wyohistory.org for information on levels and types of available sponsorships. I think you should know that it can be difficult to watch - but that it has a very rewarding outcome. I mean, not everybody would do this. Shortly after their wedding, David and Doris left Cokeville and headed to Tucson, Ariz. During their time in Tucson, according to Doris daughter Bernie Petersen, David became increasingly reclusive, focusing on his philosophical readings and writings. . And screaming, I can't imagine the screams that she was making. Do you think this is a historical event? Rich Haskell: Yeah. Doris tried numerous times to calm the children by telling them to "think of it as an adventure movie," or that they "would have a great story to tell their grandchildren." From Tragedy To Triumph- Talking To A Cokeville Bombing Survivor. Used with permission and thanks. David and Doris both returned to Cokeville on May 16, 1986. They just didn't let it die out. In a May 16, 1986 photo, the body of Doris Young is removed by officials after the Cokeville Elementary hostage situation in Cokeville, Wyo. 10 Years Later, Cokeville Just Says: Let Us Be., Pierce, Scott D. Save the Children is Shallow, Exploitative: Focus is on Wacko Bomber Instead of 167 Cokeville Students and Teachers., Troone, Trent. Mark Junge: Do you think you've taken more joy out of life because of it? Well, he had put wooden shelves for layers. Ahntastic Adventures in Silicon Valley They have a lot of first-person histories of the actual event, teachers, investigators and students. Rich Haskell: Yes, absolutely. The jug of gasoline had a pinhole-sized leak on its bottom. David became increasingly agitated, and decided to leave the room. You know, the kids have forgot about it, let's let 'em move on. She acknowledges these students for assisting her in researching her contributions to the WyoHistory.org web site. The circuit was powered by a 9-volt lantern battery. Because it was sittin' low enough and the kids were low enough that it would have done it. There are several great resources out there. Well, when I arrived at Cokeville, of course they had the roads all blocked off and there was not a lot of people around the school at the time. No, not at all. So I went to Huntsville, Ala., to Redstone Arsenal. ", About 2 1/2 hours into the standoff, David transferred the triggering mechanism of the bomb to Doris' wrist, and went to a small bathroom that connected the first and second grade rooms. The story was also featured on Unsolved Mysteries, Unexplained Mysteries, and I Survived A movie about the incident, The Cokeville Miracle, was made by filmmaker T. C. Christensen and released on June 5, 2015. Cokeville Public Library. Im living proof.. She is a trained rural historian who specializes in oral history, childhood history and memory studies. Rich Haskell: Well, as we were talking before we started recording, because of my knowledge with the explosives and with the law enforcement and everything else, I've had many opportunitiesbecause of the explosivesI've been with Vice President Cheney when he was here in Wyoming up in Pinedale. where there's only a limited population, that's going to throw the fear of God into everybody. Mark Junge: That's a record of all the people we've talked to! David and Doris Young took 167 hostages (150 children, 17 adults and one unlucky UPS driver) at the elementary school. Mark Junge: They don't want it brought up again. Two of the three blasting caps on the bomb failed to detonate; the wires to each tuna can had been reportedly cut. "Move!" At about 9:30 a.m., the bomb disposal squad used a robotic device to shoot out the end caps of the device, remove the . It's just something that you just have to stay on top of. That's what David Young forgot to realize just how important families were. Mark Junge: They weren't big enough, in a way. They increasingly spoke about their memories in public with professional psychologists, church officials and community counselors. She is one of the survivors whose story has become a part of The Cokeville Miracle. The gasoline bottle was leaking. . What did you find out about them? One of the miracles that day was that not a single person was lost. A Project of the Wyoming Historical Society. Meanwhile, Doris went from classroom to classroom, luring 136 children, six faculty, nine teachers, and three other adults, including a job applicant and a UPS driver, into a first-grade classroom for a total of 154 hostages. I didn't look at the speedometer, I was just kind of watchin' for animals and everything else. AN EXPLOSION of vapors, resultLing from a combination of circumstances at the Kearney, N. J., plant of the Koppers Coke Company, on May 17, 1948, resulted in the death of ten men and started a . This significantly mitigated the explosive power of the bomb. On May 16, 1986, an elementary school in the tiny town of Cokeville, Wyoming, was held hostage by a married couple with a bomb. You can also read about it on [Wikipedia] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cokeville_Elementary_School_hostage_crisis). Wyoming Town Still Healing a Year After School Bombing., Schoolhouse Blast Still Felt a Year Later., Survivor is My Name: Cokeville Elementary School Bombing1986 News Report Audio. Audio Recording. You can ask me anything about this today between 1-2pm. Well, he had went into the bathroom and she was out with the bomb, and they said she was complaining of a migraine headache. Angelic Intervention save all 153 in bomb blast - Cokeville Wyoming - Unexplained Mysteries - Angels Brain Boyle 2.05K subscribers Subscribe 928 158K views 11 years ago All 153 Children &. The Wyoming History one may be the best. After a stand-off lasting two and a half hours, the gasoline bomb the couple had brought into the school went off prematurely, badly burning Doris Young while David Young was out of the room. I think he went in the Marine Corps because of me and served 25 years and retired. Mark Junge: This was a life-changing event. Throughout the standoff, David grew increasingly agitated and irritable. My name is Kamron Wixom, I was a 12 year old 6th grader in 1986 when a mad man took over my school (Cokeville Elementary) with a bomb and his guns. At least 74 people, most of them children, suffered second-degree burns when the bomb went off at about 4 P.M. at the Cokeville Elementary School. We didn't know if the blasting caps were in therejust exactly what was in there. On May 16, 1986, David and Doris Young entered Cokeville Elementary School with a gasoline bomb, a variety of rifles and handguns, David's philosophical writings and demands for $300 million in ransom. Kameron Wixom, son of Hartt and Judene Wixom, writes a childlike faith saved us. In his contribution to the Witness to Miracles book, Kameron writes: I didnt have to see angels, hear them, or even think that their presence might be required that day. The Power of Faith: 25 Years After School Bombing, Town Remembers Story of Survival., Mitchell, Ruth Ann. When Columbine took place, it was such a big deal, and I mentioned to a couple people, "You know, Columbine wasn't the first school to have anything happen." David had also sent a copy of the manifesto to Reagan. The top basket contained a gallon milk jug of gasoline, wired with a blasting cap. And it was a perfect trajectory up into the ceiling where that bullet was. Then he went to the restroom, which was attached to the classroom. Where's he running? Rich Haskell: You know, with 33 years of law enforcement, I've seen a lot of things. I mean, we're talking about from kindergarten kids up to 10-, 11-, 12-years old. Edit: Also, were you at that early screening? You can check out [CokevilleMiracle.com] (http://www.cokevillemiracle.com/movie.html). I was, and I still am, a certified bomb technician at the time, and I was, as far as I know, the only bomb technician in the southern half of the state of Wyoming. They do now - ever since the Youngs barged in on the Cokeville Elementary School with guns and a bomb to demand . Located in Lincoln County and nestled between the towns of Star Valley and Kemmerer on the Wyoming-Idaho border, Cokeville, many residents believed, was a safe place to rear children. Mark Junge: We were worried, Sue and I, that people would take offence, right? By Deseret News. Mark Junge: Oh, really! Sue Castaneda: Did you look at (unintelligible). Cokeville Miracle Marking 25 Years.. Why? It was just shootin' everywhere. One thing to mention is that the tension in real life seemed much more present at first, and then once prayers were said the mood really lifted. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. When I looked up to see if David had heard me (which he had, and scowled down at me) I noticed that the florescent white light overhead was not white, but a yellow hazy light. SHARE Cokeville recollects 'miracle' of 1986. Rich? When the thing went off, when the bomb exploded, they just started chuckin' people out the windows.