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When did the ATF raid the Branch Davidian compound near Waco?
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Branch Davidian
Flames engulfing the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, ending a standoff with federal agents, April 19, 1993.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) raided the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, on February 28, 1993.1
More than 70 ATF agents executed the raid to serve an arrest warrant for David Koresh and a search warrant for the property, which authorities believed was being used to illegally stockpile weapons. The operation resulted in a two-hour battle in which four federal agents and six members of the religious group were killed. This initial raid marked the beginning of a 51-day standoff that concluded on April 19, 1993, following a subsequent operation led by the FBI.1