[MeanWestTexan]

They were washing bits of bomber off bus windows.

I would presume shrapnel, if present, would have broken said windows.

The lack of shrapnel --- from an otherwise obviously smart (National Merit Scholar) kit ---- indicates "mere" suicide or premature explosion.

[pepperdog]

Another stupid question: Could the fact that there was evidently no metal (a questionable statement I know as there are rumors of ball bearings or some such)in the bomb be because of the potential for the bomb could be found if the bomber went thru a metal detector? And are there metal detectors at the OU stadium?

[El Gato]

I would presume shrapnel, if present, would have broken said windows. The lack of shrapnel --- from an otherwise obviously smart (National Merit Scholar) kit ---- indicates "mere" suicide or premature explosion.

It's also reported that the bomb contained a directional device, or shaped charge effect. It's possible, and even likely, the bomber was on the side away from direction that constituted the main direction of the explosion. There's still be enough impulse to to tear the bomber apart, but most or all of the nails, or ball bearing or whatever, would go the opposite direction.