Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of bombings and deaths. Readers are advised to exercise caution.
Bomb explodes in Centennial Park Atlanta in 1996 after Jack Mack performs "I Walked Alone"
On July 27, 1996, a 40-pound pipe bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta during the Olympic Games. Reports indicated that two people died from the bombing and several others were injured. In the early stages of the investigation, an unidentified source named a security guard, Richard Jewell, as the prime suspect. As the investigation progressed, authorities cleared Jewell in the case and named Eric Rudolph as the prime suspect.
According to CNN, Richard Jewell saw a suspicious backpack at a scene of the event, prompting authorities to evacuate the area. Meanwhile, an unknown person called 911 and told the dispatcher about the bomb at Centennial Olympic Park. The caller warned the dispatcher that they only had half an hour to find and defuse the bomb. Minutes later, the pipe bomb detonated, killing one woman on the spot and injuring more than 100 people. During the investigation, an unidentified source told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via CNN) that Jewell was the prime suspect in the Atlanta Olympics bombing. He subsequently received a lot of hate from the public.
Nearly four months later, the FBI announced that Richard Jewell was not under investigation for the explosion. According to People Magazine, police said that Jewell was no longer a person of interest. Authorities continued to investigate the case, and nearly two years later, the FBI named Eric Rudolph as the prime suspect in the Atlanta Olympic bombing. However, it would be another five years before they were able to arrest Rudolph for multiple bombings.
