Waco American Apocalypse is a docuseries based on the real events and stand-off that took place between February 28, 1993, and April 19, 1993. This documentary features Lee Hancock, John McLemore, Kathy Schroeder, Heather Jones, David Thibodeau, Gary Noesner, Chris Whitcomb, Bob Ricks and Jeff Jamar, alongside other members from Branch Davidian, ATF and the FBI.
The documentary series is directed and executive produced by Tiller Russell. It contains three episodes, each ranging from 45-50 minutes, and they are titled, ‘In the Beginning…,’ ‘Children of God,’ and ‘Fire,’ respectively.
Waco American Apocalypse: Real-Life Events
Before the siege even actually began, law enforcement had an eye on Branch Davidian for the allegation news companies had put in their papers regarding the religious leader’s relationship with the underage girls in the group. And one day, when a postman found grenades in a broken open package, the ATF and FBI took a larger interest in this case.
However, before they raided or checked anything, they had to get a warrant to search the property. They were able to get one, but before they could raid and search anything, Branch Davidians were tipped off that law enforcement would be coming in to check their premises. Over 90 agents were standing outside the house, which is 10 miles away from Waco, Texas and is literally in the middle of a field stuck in nowhere.
As the ATF agents made their way to the house, gunfire started raining on them. In retaliation, the officers also started firing back. In the documentary, there is a little disconnect in whether the ATF or the Branch Davidians incited the conflict. Still, the ATF and common discourse believe that the religious group members started shooting first. Soon, members from media houses and other police vehicles started coming to the crime scene. Four ATF agents were killed, while many more were injured. They had to issue a ceasefire before they could pick up any injured agents from the scene.
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While negotiations were already going on even during the firing, they were now ramped up to include removing children from the premises. Knowing that this couldn’t happen without a little bargaining, religious leader David Koresh said that he would continue to send children out two by two every time they played his message from Christ on the radio. He even bargained that he would get out if they played his video on the Christian Broadcast Network, but suddenly stopped and said that God would want him to stay back.
The religious leader was also shot multiple times during the siege and resorted to using home remedies to cure the infection. Even though law enforcement tried to use this reason to bring him out, people still wouldn’t leave the premises. They knew that once Koresh passed away or surrendered, there wouldn’t be any resistance from the rest of the group members. However, in those 50 days, the HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) tried their level best to make the Branch Davidians’ lives miserable.
Finally, one day Attorney General Janet Reno provided the FBI and HRT with the go-ahead to insert tear gas into the premises. While the members of the FBI kept explaining that it wasn’t an assault, their tanks and armoured vehicles destroyed multiple sections of the house and may have caused the fire that set the whole house ablaze. While most members of the religious group maintain that they weren’t the ones to start the fire, other people and members of the government have reassured that the people in the house started the fire themselves.
On April 19, 1993, the house went up in flames, killing around 75 people, 25 of whom were children. After the tragic event, Bill Clinton made a statement about the group and the tragedy that caused this big fire, pinpointing David Koresh’s role in all of this as a leader. Two years after the incident at Waco, there was a bombing in Oklahoma that perpetrators cited was inspired by the events of that day.
Waco American Apocalypse is currently streaming on Netflix. Check out our review of the docuseries below. Who do you think is to blame for the siege in Waco? Let us know in the comments below.
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