Paul M. Krueger

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents raid the Branch Davidian church in Waco, Texas with a warrant to arrest the group’s leader David Koresh, starting a 51-day standoff.

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ㅤThe Waco siege, a tragic confrontation between the U.S. federal government and the Branch Davidian religious group, began on February 28, 1993, at the Mount Carmel Center ranch near Waco, Texas. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) initiated the siege with a planned raid to execute search and arrest warrants related to suspected illegal weapons stockpiling by the Branch Davidians, led by David Koresh. However, the element of surprise was lost when a local reporter, inadvertently alerted by a postal worker who was Koresh’s brother-in-law, tipped off the group. The resulting armed confrontation on February 28th led to a deadly gunfight, claiming the lives of four ATF agents and six Branch Davidians, and ultimately prompting the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to take over and establish a 51-day siege.

ㅤThe standoff culminated on April 19, 1993, when the FBI launched a tear gas assault in an attempt to force the Branch Davidians from the compound. Tragically, the Mount Carmel Center quickly became engulfed in flames, leading to the deaths of 76 Branch Davidians, including children and David Koresh. The origin of the fire remains a subject of intense debate, with official Department of Justice reports attributing the fire to the Branch Davidians, citing audio surveillance and aerial footage. Critics, however, argue that live rounds fired by law enforcement, combined with the flammable tear gas, may have contributed to the blaze. The events at Waco, along with the Ruby Ridge standoff, significantly influenced the Oklahoma City bombing carried out by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, and also played a role in the rise of the modern American militia movement.