What happened during the February 28, 1993, ATF raid on Mount Carmel?

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Waco siege — Branch Davidian Flames engulfing the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, ending a standoff with federal agents, April 19, 1993.

On February 28, 1993, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) executed a raid on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, acting on warrants for the arrest of David Koresh and a search of the property due to allegations of illegal weapons stockpiling.1

More than 70 ATF agents participated in the operation. During the ensuing two-hour battle, gunfire erupted—though the identity of the party that fired first remains uncertain. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of four federal agents and six Branch Davidians, with over a dozen agents sustaining injuries. This violent encounter initiated a 51-day standoff between the group and federal authorities, which ultimately concluded in a tragic fire on April 19, 1993.1