Waco Survivors
The story of Mt. Carmel, the 51 Day Seige and those who lived to tell the story
Our Story
The Waco Siege began in early 1993, when a government raid on a church near Waco, Texas led to a 51-day standoff between federal agents and members of Mount Carmel Center called the Branch Davidians. The seige ended dramatically on April 19, 1993, when fires consumed the church, leaving 82 people dead, including 25 children.
The Students of the Seven Seals, also known as the Branch Davidians were led by David Koresh and were headquartered at Mount Carmel Center in the community of Axtell, Texas, 13 miles east-northeast of Waco. Suspecting the group of stockpiling illegal weapons, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) obtained a no knock search warrant for the church and arrest warrants for Koresh.
The incident began when the ATF attempted to raid the church with 75 armed agents, two cattle trailers and miltary helicopters. An intense gun battle erupted, resulting in the deaths of four government agents, six Branch Davidians and many wounded. Upon the ATF's failure to raid Mount Carmel, a siege lasting 51 days was initiated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Eventually, the FBI launched an assault and initiated a tear gas attack in an attempt to force the Branch Davidians out of the church. During the attack, a fire engulfed Mount Carmel Center. This resulted in the deaths of 82 Branch Davidians, including 25 children, two pregnant women and David Koresh.