30 years ago today, the Waco standoff started.

[shanneba]

On Feb. 28, 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons charges; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began.

30 years since Waco standoff — AP Photos

On Feb. 28, 1993, a gun battle erupted at a religious compound near Waco, Texas, when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents tried to arrest Branch Davidian leader David Koresh on weapons charges; four agents and six Davidians were killed as a 51-day standoff began.

apimagesblog.com

Ended April 19th, 1993 with this-

 

[Snake45]

As far as I know, TO THIS DAY Koresh's guns have never been tested by an independent agency to see if they were converted to full-auto BEFORE or AFTER the fire. I wonder why?

 

[KillerFord1977]

I think this event was a catalyst for the feud with gun owners and the govt over regulation and 2A rights.

Not saying who is right or wrong. Just saying it was a catalyst

 

[Old_Me]

i saw something on tv, i think a mini series is coming out soon.??

hard to believe it's been 30 years. i forgot all about this, until i saw that series promo.

 

[shanneba]

As far as I know, TO THIS DAY Koresh's guns have never been tested by an independent agency to see if they were converted to full-auto BEFORE or AFTER the fire. I wonder why?

What started the Waco standoff?​

Federal authorities had evidence to suggest Koresh was collecting a cache of weapons inside the Mount Carmel complex. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms believed the community had nearly 250 weapons, including semi-automatic rifles, assault rifles, shotguns, revolvers, pistols and hundreds of grenades, records show.

The Real Story Behind the FBI's Deadly Waco Siege

The historic event is now the focus of Paramount Network’s 'WACO' TV miniseries

time.com

 

[Snake45]

What started the Waco standoff?​

Federal authorities had evidence to suggest Koresh was collecting a cache of weapons inside the Mount Carmel complex. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms believed the community had nearly 250 weapons, including semi-automatic rifles, assault rifles, shotguns, revolvers, pistols and hundreds of grenades, records show.

The Real Story Behind the FBI's Deadly Waco Siege

The historic event is now the focus of Paramount Network’s 'WACO' TV miniseries

time.com

The grenades were empty/inert/dummies. Koresh and his crew would turn them into those novelty "Complaint Department--Take A Number" thingies that were somewhat popular at one time, and sell them at gun shows and flea markets to raise funds.

The story actually started several months earlier (the previous December, IIRC), when 60 Minutes (back when they still had some credibility) aired a VERY damaging story about corruption and sexual harassment in the ATF. The ATF needed a "big win" for PR purposes and figured Koresh would make the perfect patsy--the leftists wouldn't raise a stink about him because he ran a Christian cult with guns, and the righties wouldn't care either because it was also in part a hippie sex-and-drugs cult. As we all know now, things did not go according to plan.

The whole incident was a sorry, shameful chapter in America's history.

 

[Recusant]

This is still a black mark on the Justice Department. Using common sense could have avoided this senseless confrontation.

 

[SaltyMonkey]

I remember watching it unfold at Lowe’s on the old school tv displays. Amazing how time gets away from you.

 

[somorris]

Waco was a horrible government over reach. The “gun” thing was just an excuse to attack. The government did a similar thing in Idaho at Ruby Ridge. People talk about living “off the grid,” but the federal government isn’t likely to let people do that.

 

[Bassbob]

Waco was a horrible government over reach. The “gun” thing was just an excuse to attack. The government did a similar thing in Idaho at Ruby Ridge. People talk about living “off the grid,” but the federal government isn’t likely to let people do that.

Ruby Ridge was even worse. An agent goes in under cover and befriends Weaver, talks him into fixing a shotgun for him then when Weaver refuses to be a government spy and infiltrate some white power group they raid his place for alleged gun violations for working on a shotgun without a FFL. Shoot his wife, kid and dog. Everyone involved in that ought to be in prison.

 

[ex13F]

I remember the Waco debacle and the Ruby Ridge one. I would like to point out that (IMHO) Bubba Clinton was the first to have a transgender in a high government office, not Hussein or Chairman Cho Bai Dong.

Hey, I never claimed to be a nice guy.

 

[kenpomaniac1958]

I was working night shift doing security work in the Dallas area when this happened. I got off work and got home and turned on the tv and saw this.

The first thing that popped into my mind when I saw it was, the ATF doesn't know what they're doing. Any former Marine grunt like me could see that. It was poorly planned and poorly executed. And it created distrust that still exists today.

Ruby Ridge was another black eye and mistrust between hard working people and the government. It just seems to me like "By the people and for the people" was set aside by some Federal guys with attitudes.

 

[Snake45]

...Chairman Cho Bai Dong.

OMG that's the second funniest thing I've seen all day! (I can't post the first funniest here, dimmit.) I'm totally stealing it, except I'm changing it to "Chairman Cho Bai Dung," which is even funnier. Thanks!