Federal agents attempting to make entry on the roof during the Waco siege at the Mount Carmel Center in Waco, Texas.
On February 28, 1993, an ATF raid on the Branch Davidian compound over suspected illegal weapons and other violations turned into a deadly shootout that killed four agents and six Davidians, triggering a 51-day FBI siege.
It ended on April 19 when the FBI inserted tear gas and a fire swept through the buildings, killing 76 people inside, including David Koresh and roughly two dozen children.
Critics have long pointed to aggressive tactics, contested evidence, and the deaths of non-combatants as evidence of federal overreach.
The tragedy still shapes debates over the limits of law-enforcement power, religious liberty, and the risks of prolonged standoffs.
On February 28, 1993, an ATF raid on the Branch Davidian compound over suspected illegal weapons and other violations turned into a deadly shootout that killed four agents and six Davidians, triggering a 51-day FBI siege.
It ended on April 19 when the FBI inserted tear gas and a fire swept through the buildings, killing 76 people inside, including David Koresh and roughly two dozen children.
Critics have long pointed to aggressive tactics, contested evidence, and the deaths of non-combatants as evidence of federal overreach.
The tragedy still shapes debates over the limits of law-enforcement power, religious liberty, and the risks of prolonged standoffs.
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