The
Waco siege was the
siege of a compound belonging to the group
Branch Davidians by American
federal and
Texas state law enforcement, as well as the U.S. military, between February 28 and April 19, 1993.
[4]The Branch Davidians, a sect that separated in 1955 from the
Seventh-day Adventist Church, was led by
David Koresh and was headquartered at
Mount Carmel Center ranch in the community of Axtell, Texas,
[5][6][7] 13 miles (21 kilometers) east-northeast of
Waco. The group was suspected of weapons violations, causing a search and arrest warrant to be obtained by the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF).
The incident began when the ATF attempted to raid the ranch. An intense gun battle erupted, resulting in the deaths of four government agents and six Branch Davidians. Upon the ATF's failure to raid the compound, a siege was initiated by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the standoff lasting 51 days. Eventually, the FBI launched an assault and initiated a
tear gas attack in an attempt to force the Branch Davidians out of the ranch. During the attack, a fire engulfed Mount Carmel Center. In total, 76 people died,
[8][9]including David Koresh.
Much dispute remains as to the actual events of the siege. A particular controversy ensued over the
origin of the fire; an internal Justice Department investigation concluded in 2000 that sect members had started the fire. The events near Waco, and the siege at
Ruby Ridge less than twelve months earlier, were both cited as the primary motivations behind the
Oklahoma City bombing that took place exactly two years later.