Gavin Howe
David Koresh was the leader of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect based at Mount Carmel, near Waco, Texas. Koresh claimed to be a messianic figure and changed his name from Howell to David Koresh, the Hebrew translation of Cyrus, the ancient Persian king who conquered Babylon and allowed the Jews to return to Israel. Koresh and his followers were accused of violating federal firearms regulations and stockpiling illegal weapons, including assault rifles, machine guns, grenades and grenade launchers. Koresh also married a 14-year-old girl, which was legal in Texas at the time with her parents' consent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Violation of federal weapons laws | Koresh spent $199,715 on illegal guns, gun parts, and other components |
| Violation of federal weapons laws | Koresh possessed 156 assault rifles, a heavy machine gun, several boxes of grenades, and grenade launchers |
| Violation of federal weapons laws | Koresh ordered the conversion of 90 to 100 assault rifles to automatic weapons |
| Violation of federal weapons laws | Koresh issued every male follower an automatic assault rifle and multiple magazines |
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What You'll Learn
Violating federal firearms regulations
David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians, was accused of violating federal firearms regulations. On 28 February 1993, 80 agents from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) raided a religious compound at Mount Carmel, near Waco, Texas, after receiving reports that Koresh and his followers were violating these regulations.
Koresh had spent $199,715 in the previous year to buy illegal guns, gun parts, and other components. Federal authorities found 156 assault rifles, a heavy machine gun, several boxes of grenades, and grenade launchers, all of which Koresh had obtained and possessed in violation of federal weapons laws. Koresh supporters claimed that he was a gun dealer who had lawfully acquired the weapons. However, Koresh had issued every male follower an automatic assault rifle and multiple magazines, and ATF agents were wounded by automatic gunfire and grenades.
Davidian Donald Bunds recounted how Koresh ordered him to buy a lathe and milling machine, which he then learned to use to convert 90 to 100 assault rifles to automatic weapons in 1992. Koresh's actions clearly violated federal firearms regulations, and his acquisition and possession of such a large arsenal posed a significant threat to public safety.
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Marrying a 14-year-old
David Koresh was the leader of the Branch Davidians, a religious group based in Waco, Texas. Koresh was accused of violating federal firearms regulations, and in 1993, the FBI raided the group's compound.
Koresh was also accused of marrying a 14-year-old girl with her parents' consent. While this was allowed under Texas law at the time, it is still a highly controversial act. Koresh's supporters claimed that he was a gun dealer who had lawfully acquired his weapons. However, federal authorities found a large arsenal of illegal weapons, including assault rifles, machine guns, grenades, and grenade launchers. Koresh had spent $199,715 on buying these weapons and their components, which was a violation of federal weapons laws.
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Buying illegal guns, gun parts, and other components
David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians, was accused of violating federal firearms regulations. Koresh had spent $199,715 on buying illegal guns, gun parts, and other components, which he used to build a fearsome arsenal. After the siege ended, federal authorities found 156 assault rifles, a heavy machine gun, several boxes of grenades, and grenade launchers, all of which Koresh had obtained and possessed in violation of federal weapons laws.
Koresh supporters claimed that he was a gun dealer who had lawfully acquired the weapons. However, Koresh had ordered one of his followers, David Bunds, to buy a lathe and milling machine. Bunds then learned to use them to convert 90 to 100 assault rifles to automatic weapons. Bunds and several other Davidians testified that Koresh issued every male follower an automatic assault rifle and multiple magazines weeks before the ATF raid.
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Possessing assault rifles, a heavy machine gun, grenades, and grenade launchers
David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians, was found to have violated federal weapons laws by possessing 156 assault rifles, a heavy machine gun, several boxes of grenades, and grenade launchers. Koresh spent $199,715 in the previous year to buy illegal guns, gun parts, and other components.
Koresh's supporters claimed that he was a gun dealer who had lawfully acquired the weapons. However, federal authorities found that he had obtained and possessed these weapons in violation of federal law.
Koresh had issued every male follower an automatic assault rifle and multiple magazines weeks before the ATF raid. During the raid, ATF agents were wounded by automatic gunfire and grenades.
The Branch Davidians were a religious group located at Mount Carmel, near Waco, Texas. On February 28, 1993, ATF agents raided their compound after receiving reports that the group was violating federal firearms regulations.
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Converting assault rifles to automatic weapons
David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians, was accused of violating federal firearms regulations. Federal authorities provided evidence that Koresh had spent $199,715 on illegal guns, gun parts, and other components. After the siege ended, authorities found 156 assault rifles, a heavy machine gun, several boxes of grenades, and grenade launchers, all of which Koresh had obtained and possessed in violation of federal weapons laws.
Koresh supporters claimed that he was a gun dealer who had lawfully acquired the weapons. However, Davidian Donald Bunds recounted how Koresh ordered him to buy a lathe and milling machine and then learned to use them to convert 90 to 100 assault rifles to automatic weapons in 1992. Bunds and several other Davidians testified that Koresh issued every male follower an automatic assault rifle and multiple magazines weeks before the ATF raid.
Koresh was also criticised for marrying a 14-year-old girl, although this was allowed by Texas law at the time with her parents' consent.
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Frequently asked questions
David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians, was accused of violating federal firearms regulations. He was also accused of spending $199,715 on illegal guns, gun parts and other components. After the siege ended, federal authorities found 156 assault rifles, a heavy machine gun, several boxes of grenades and grenade launchers, all of which Koresh had obtained and possessed in violation of federal weapons laws.
On 26 February 1994, almost a year after the siege began, a federal jury in San Antonio, Texas, acquitted 11 cult members of murder and murder-conspiracy charges in the deaths of four ATF agents.
The Waco Siege was a 51-day standoff between the FBI and Branch Davidians at their compound near Waco, Texas. It began on 28 February 1993, after the ATF raided the compound following reports that Koresh and his followers were violating federal firearms regulations.
