Past News, Survivors of 1993 Waco siege describe what happened in fire that ended the 51-day standoff.

[Floorist]

Originally Posted by Toyman at Jewel Lake

The so-called "rapes" had nothing to do with the initial raid at Waco. This raid was staged as a show by tax agents (Department of the Treas) over supposedly unpaid excise taxes on firearms sales. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms-the bureau of the Dept of Treas responsible for collecting taxes on those items. Had child abuse/rape been an issue before the initial assault on the church, real cops, not armed tax collectors, would have been involved.

Upwards of 100 heavily armed agents with body armor pulled up to the church in 2 cattle trailers, jumped out and started shooting. Dave Koresh was unarmed when he was shot and an innocent child murdered in the initial raid. An F-Troop agent tossed a concussion grenade into a room his comrades had just entered, panicking them and triggering them to open fire in a "spray and pray" move shooting in all directions-including at the agent that threw the grenade, killing him, IIRC. 3 of the 4 tax collectors that died that day were killed by bullets fired by other agents (AP rounds). As were all 6 church members. All this...over about a claimed $200 in unpaid taxes. And upwards of 80 people were burned alive to try to hide the fact.

And Koresh went outside the compound almost daily for a run and went to the same gun range as the FBI.
He could have easily been arrested. No different than Ruby Ridge. The local sheriff told the FBI that Weaver would come in if he called him and the FBI refused. The sheriff had also seen the supposed "illegal" that was not illegal.

[bluesjuke]

Originally Posted by TreeBeard

If David Koresh has left the premise and given himself up, the stand off would have ended. Instead, Koresh sacrificed everyone in the compound. A most cowardly action. Anyone trying to make Koresh a hero or martyr should be ashamed of themselves.

You are right on Koresch however the manner in which the ATF approached the raid only accomplished confirming fears that the Dravidian’s held.

It amounted to a perceived attack not a serving of a warrant.
There is plenty of blame to go around but the bad start set it all off.