Standoff Between Federal Agents, Religious Sect in Waco, Texas: Timeline

Jun 21, 2023

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold the first rally of his presidential campaign at the Waco Regional Airport on March 25 as he faces a looming possible indictment related to an investigation into a "hush-money" payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.

The rally will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Waco siege, an infamous raid by law enforcement on a religious compound that was located just outside the Texas town.

The Waco Siege — and how it ended — was one of the most public and shocking law enforcement standoffs in recent history.

After a 51-day siege between federal agents and a religious group called the Branch Davidians, led by a man named David Koresh, federal agents blew holes in the compound's walls before pumping the building full of tear gas.

They wanted to force the remaining Branch Davidians out. Instead, the compound caught alight and burned down, killing 76 people inside.

It's been 30 years since one of the most public standoffs with the law ended in disaster. Here's how the tragedy unfolded.

Sources: SBS, Waco Tribune-Herald

Sources: Los Angeles Times, Waco Tribune-Herald

Koresh and his followers went to trial for attempted murder after the gun battle, but they were acquitted.

Afterwards, they had their guns — seven semi-automatic guns, three rifles, two shotguns and ammunition — returned to them.

Sources: Los Angeles Times, Waco Tribune-Herald

Source: Waco Tribune-Herald

In the 1980s, he travelled to Australia and England to recruit followers.

He told people in England that the revelation was coming, claiming he was the messiah and could save them if they lived with him and led a life of prayer and preparation at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco.

Sources: Waco Tribune-Herald, BBC

The investigation also said he was gathering weapons and controlled his followers with mind control techniques.

Source: Waco Tribune-Herald

Sources: SBS, Waco Tribune-Herald

The opening line of the article reads: "If you are a Branch Davidian, Christ lives on a threadbare piece of land 10 miles east of Waco called Mount Carmel."

According to the article, Koresh "has dimples, claims a ninth-grade education, married his legal wife when she was 14, enjoys a beer now and then, plays a mean guitar, reportedly packs a 9mm Glock and keeps an arsenal of military assault rifles, and willingly admits that he is a sinner without equal."

One private detective in the article stated he did not believe the authorities would act unless "someone is killed."

Source: Waco Tribune-Herald

Sources: PBS, Dallas Morning News, Mirror, SBS

Before the battle, the ATF agents had stencilled their blood types onto their legs for quicker transfusions. This was not standard practice — they anticipated that the confrontation could get violent, according to SBS.

Sources: PBS, Mirror, SBS

Sources: The Conversation, SBS

Sources: Dallas Morning News, The Conversation, Los Angeles Times

Source: Los Angeles Times

Source: The Conversation

They cut off the phone lines so Koresh could only talk to them.

In response, Koresh said either restore the phone lines or live knowing they were the ones, "that killed these little children."

Noesner tried to get the FBI to change tactics, but instead he was taken off the case.

Sources: The Conversation, Dallas Morning News

But Engelman didn't like being told what to do.

"I say to hell with them. Basically because there are two sides to every story," he said. "We're only hearing one side of the story."

Source: Washington Post

The FBI also withheld footage of the Branch Davidians to stop them from being humanized to the general public.

Source: The Conversation

Sources: The Conversation, SBS

Source: Los Angeles Times

Source: Washington Post

Sources: The Conversation, Washington Post

Source: The Conversation

That afternoon, DeGuerin relayed the news to two FBI agents named Bob Ricks and Jeffrey Jamar.

While Ricks was impatient, Jamar told DeGuerin they had all the time necessary.

But two years later, in 1995, officials dismissed the agreement as just another tactic to delay.

Sources: The Conversation, Los Angeles Times

They advised her there was nothing further negotiators could do. It was going nowhere. A later report quoted an FBI negotiator stating that they had been at a "total impasse."

An investigative report also stated that "law enforcement personnel at the scene were getting tired, and their tempers were fraying."

Source: Los Angeles Times

Sources: PBS, Mirror, SBS

Sources: SBS, New York Times

Afterwards, The New York Times questioned the FBI about why there had been no fire engines at the scene.

A FBI spokesperson said there were no fire engines at the scene because they were not equipped to deal with gunfire but later conceded that no one had predicted there would be a fire.

Sources: SBS, New York Times

According to an article published on April 20, 1993, in The New York Times, the FBI said Koresh had given the order to pour fuel over the compound and light matches.

The FBI insisted that the tear gas was not the cause of the fire.

Sources: SBS, New York Times

Source: SBS