Netflix has dropped a new documentary that explores the events surrounding the now-infamous siege on religious cult leader David Koresh and his doomsday cult the Branch Davidians. Released on Wednesday (March 22), Waco: American Apocalypse is an immersive three-part docuseries that provides a definitive account of what happened when Koresh faced off against the federal government in a bloody 51-day siege at a large compound near Waco, Texas.
The conflict began with the biggest gunfight on American soil since the Civil War and ended with a fiery inferno captured live on national television. In between, it captivated TV viewers across the globe, becoming the biggest news story in the world.
Released to coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of the tragedy, the new docuseries features exclusive access to recently unearthed videotapes filmed inside the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit, plus raw news footage never released to the American public. It is driven by intimate and revealing interviews with people from all sides of the conflict, and uses cutting-edge visual technology to plunge viewers inside the clash between the Branch Davidians and US law enforcement.
Over three episodes, Waco: American Apocalypse presents an epic drama about God and guns in America. But what happened at the Waco siege on David Koresh and his Branch Davidian compound?
What happened at the Waco siege?
What is referred to as the Waco siege, the Waco massacre, or simply Waco, is an assault by US law enforcement on a large compound known as Mount Carmel, which belonged to religious doomsday cult the Branch Davidians. The assault began on February 28, 1993, when federal agents attempted to execute a warrant and arrest those living at the compound.
The group was led by David Koresh – aged 33 at the time of the siege – who believed himself to be a prophet of God. Koresh claimed that he was the final prophet and “the Lamb” foretold in the Book of Revelations whose arrival would lead to the second coming of Christ.
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The Davidians believed that the apocalypse was near, and Koresh believed he would have 24 children who would play a key role when that time came, each presiding and sitting in judgement over the end times. Koresh had taken multiple wives to bear these children, including the wives of his male followers and some that were as young as 12 years old.
On February 27, 1993, the Waco Tribune-Herald published reports that children living at the compound were being abused, and that the Davidians had been stockpiling weapons – including some that had been illegally modified. The following day, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) tried to execute a search warrant at Mount Carmel, but the Davidians had been tipped off.
A firefight ensued that saw Koresh wounded and six of his followers killed. Four ATF agents were also shot dead and 16 were injured.
The Branch Davidians and law enforcement both accused the other of firing the first shots. The Davidians were able to negotiate a ceasefire with a local sheriff and remained in the compound for the next 51 days.
Koresh initially made telephone contact with local news media until his communication was cut off. The FBI took command over the situation and communications were established with the Davidians.
A group of FBI negotiators communicated with those inside the compound via telephone and were able to secure the safe release of several members of the group – including 19 children – though many stayed inside. According to Koresh, God had told them to remain inside the compound.
After extensive interviews with the children that left Mount Carmel, it was alleged they had experienced a history of sexual and physical abuse, which became key justification offered to President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno for launching a final assault. Authorities assembled a small army outside the compound, which included several tanks, helicopters, and hundreds of agents from authorities including US Customs, the Army, the Texas National Guard and Texas Rangers.
They also used psychological warfare tactics on the Davidians, causing sleep deprivation by playing loud music and recordings of the screams of rabbits being killed throughout the night. At around 6am on April 19, the final assault on the compound began after Attorney General Reno gave her approval.
Several large combat vehicles equipped with battering rams were used to punch holes in the compound and fill it with tear gas. The intention was to flush out Koresh and his followers, but during the assault, several fires broke out around the compound.
The circumstances around the fire remain disputed. The FBI released transcripts of recordings from within the compound in which Davidians discussed starting the fire.
Davidian survivors claim the group did not start the fire, and that the gas used by the authorities was ignited by law enforcement gunfire. The fires spread rapidly and violently, engulfing large parts of the compound over the next few hours, while parts of the building began to collapse.
By 12.55 pm, the entire compound was destroyed by the fire and the damage from the large combat vehicles. Many of the Branch Davidians remained inside.
Koresh was killed by a bullet to the head, but it could not be confirmed whether he killed himself or was killed. According to the FBI, Steve Schneider, Koresh’s right-hand man, shot and killed Koresh and then turned the gun on himself after realising Koresh was a fraud.
Ultimately, 82 members of the Branch Davidians lost their lives in the Waco siege, including 24 Britons and 25 children. The victims died from gunshot wounds, suffocation caused by the smoke and carbon monoxide from the fire, or were killed by injuries sustained as the compound crumbled around them.
A three-year-old boy died from a fatal stab wound to the chest. An official government report following the siege concluded that many of the gunshot wounds suffered by the Davidians were consistent with “suicide or consensual execution.”
14 adults and 21 children left the compound before the fire, while nine more escaped after it broke out. The aftermath of the Waco siege saw eight members of the Davidians convicted of voluntary manslaughter and using firearms in the commision of a crime.
By 2007, all had been released from prison. Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh cited the Waco siege as a motivator for his 1995 attack.
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