The story of the Waco massacre

For its 30-year anniversary, Netflix has released a three-part series on the story of the Waco massacre and its leader, David Koresh.

Transcript

00:00Netflix just released the new docuseries Waco American Apocalypse which aims to give people

00:04a closer look at religious leader David Koresh. So we need to talk about how his apocalyptic vision

00:09led to one of the most horrific cult tragedies in modern history. Koresh was the leader of the

00:14religious sect known as the Branch Davidians. As a self-acclaimed messiah, he amassed a large

00:18following claiming the apocalypse was imminent and that he alone could guide people to safety.

00:22But that wasn't the only thing he was amassing. He lived with some of those followers on a compound

00:26outside of Waco, Texas where he held a vast illegal collection of guns, grenades, and assault

00:31weapons. When ATF agents approached with a warrant, Koresh and some of his followers ambushed them

00:36with gunfire. Four agents were killed, 20 were injured, and the other followers inside were then

00:40considered hostages. After a few hours, a ceasefire was called and 24 cult members, mostly children,

00:46were released from the compound. Then a 51-day standoff ensued. In a controversial move,

00:51agents eventually used tear gas to drive the cult out which caused a series of fires that

00:55destroyed the compound and led to the deaths of more than 70 people, including children and Koresh

00:59himself. The director of the docu-series, Tiller Russell, said the story is one of a prophetic

01:04leader with an apocalyptic vision, a fierce debate over the right to bear arms, and testing the

01:08constitutional limits of religious freedom. It has powerful and provocative elements that

01:12still reverberate today. Waco American Apocalypse is now streaming on Netflix.