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What did John Danforth’s investigation conclude about the U.S. government’s role in the fire?
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Branch Davidian
Flames engulfing the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, ending a standoff with federal agents, April 19, 1993.
In 1999, following revelations that federal agents had used flammable tear gas canisters during the final raid on the Branch Davidian compound, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno appointed former senator John Danforth to lead an independent investigation into the government's actions.12
The probe, which concluded in 2000, found that the U.S. government did not cause the fire that destroyed the Mount Carmel complex, nor did federal agents shoot at the compound during the final assault. Danforth’s report ultimately absolved the government of wrongdoing regarding the cause of the fire and the deaths that occurred during the final confrontation.12