Eric Rudolph

Eric Rudolph

Eric Robert Rudolph, also called the Olympic Park Bomber, was an American who set off several bombs in the Southern United States from 1996 to 1998. These bombings hurt many people and sadly caused the deaths of two individuals, including an attack at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Rudolph said he did these acts because he disagreed with some government rules.

For five years, he was one of the FBI’s most wanted people before being caught in 2003. In 2005, he agreed to accept four life sentences in prison instead of having a trial, meaning he would not face the possibility of the death penalty. Today, he is kept in a secure prison near Florence, Colorado.

Early life

Eric Rudolph was born in Florida in 1966. After his father passed away in 1981, he moved with his mother and siblings to Nantahala, in Macon County, western North Carolina.

He went to school for one year but then left. He worked as a carpenter. Later, he joined the U.S. Army and trained at Fort Benning in Georgia. He left the Army in 1989 because of marijuana use. Before this, he had lived at a special religious community with his mother.

Bombings

Further information: Centennial Olympic Park bombing and Otherside Lounge bombing

When he was 29, Eric Rudolph set off a bomb during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta on July 27. He warned the police about the bomb before it went off. The explosion hurt many people and sadly killed one spectator. Another person, a news cameraman from Turkey, had a health emergency while running to help and also passed away.

Rudolph later said he did this because he disagreed with some government decisions. He wanted to show he was unhappy with how things were being run. He also admitted to setting off other bombs at places where people went for medical help and at a bar in Atlanta. These explosions hurt several people and sadly took the life of a police officer who was working security.

Fugitive

Eric Rudolph was first thought to be involved in bombings in Alabama in February 1998. Two people told police they saw him leaving the place where it happened. Later, in October, he was named as a suspect in other bombings too.

On May 5, 1998, he was added to the FBI's list of the Ten Most Wanted people. The FBI thought he had weapons and was very dangerous. They offered a reward of $1 million for help in finding him. For over five years, he hid in the wild areas of the Appalachian mountains. Many groups searched for him but could not find him.

Rudolph's family believed he was not guilty. In 1998, his brother hurt himself to send a message, but doctors were able to help him.

According to Rudolph's own writings, he survived during his time hiding by living in the Nantahala National Forest, eating things he found like acorns and salamanders, and taking food from places nearby Murphy, North Carolina.

Arrest and guilty plea

Eric Rudolph was arrested in Murphy, North Carolina on May 31, 2003. A police officer saw him looking through a trash area behind a store. He did not have any weapons and did not fight back when arrested.

Later, he agreed to admit to doing many bad things. This happened in 2005 after officials found hidden materials in the woods. He said his actions were done to support certain beliefs, but he thought agreeing to the court's rules was a smart move for him.

He was given many years in prison and sent to a special secure prison. He spends most of his time alone in a small cell.

Motivations

After Eric Rudolph was arrested for several bombings, reports said he was linked to a group with strict beliefs about who could belong to their faith. He denied being closely tied to this group but talked about his Catholic background and used religious ideas to explain his strong opposition to certain medical choices.

Rudolph did not feel sorry for his actions and believed they were right. He used religious texts to support his beliefs, even while in prison.

Writings from prison

Eric Rudolph wrote essays while he was in prison. These essays talked about using force and strong actions. Someone who does not like people having babies before marriage shared these essays online. Some people thought these messages were mean and could encourage more violence, but the prison could not stop them from being shared.

In 2013, a book by Rudolph called Between the Lines of Drift: The Memoirs of a Militant was published with help from his brother. A leader in the United States took some of Rudolph’s money to help pay back the state of Alabama. The book was shared again and can be found on a website that supports the same ideas as Rudolph.