Waco: American Apocalypse is a new Netflix three-part documentary series that delves into the tragic events that occurred at the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, 30 years ago.
The 51-day standoff between the Branch Davidians and federal authorities, lasting from February 28 to April 19, 1993, resulted in the deaths of four federal agents and 76 Davidians, 25 of whom were children and two of whom were pregnant women, per 8 News Now.
Despite numerous investigations into the events leading up to the siege and the subsequent tragedy at the compound known as Mount Carmel Center, the documentary explores the possibility that human error was the primary cause of the tragedy.
The film highlights the upcoming congressional appropriations hearings and the ATF’s desire to improve its image prior to the incident. There were illegal weapons on the property, and Branch Davidian leader David Koresh could have been detained multiple times leading up to the standoff. However, the agency had lost the element of surprise on the day of the search, per The Wall Street Journal.
The lack of surprise was a major factor in the resulting standoff. The Branch Davidians were prepared for law enforcement to arrive on the scene and ambushed agents as they arrived, resulting in the deaths of four agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), as well as injuries to 20 others, per The ATF.
Special Agent Conway LeBleu, Special Agent Todd McKeehan, Special Agent Robert Williams, and Special Agent Steven Willis all lost their lives during the siege, according to the ATF.
The documentary includes personal stories of three individuals involved, including Heather Jones, the last child to be freed from the compound at the age of nine, and former FBI sniper Chris Whitcomb, who witnessed the siege.
Kathy Schroeder, a supporter of Branch Davidian sect leader David Koresh, speaks out in defense of the group’s teachings and Koresh’s sexual dominance of women.
“People think that a man having sex with a bunch of underaged girls is crime,” Schroeder says in the documentary, per Decider. “And in conventional wisdom, this could probably be very well true. However, these weren’t underaged girls because you come of age at 12. All these girls were adults in our belief system.”
Former FBI hostage negotiator Gary Noesner is also a part of the documentary and criticizes his own bureau’s hostage rescue team. Additionally, Noesner draws attention to the FBI’s involvement in the standoff because Noesner believes the team undermined negotiation discussions with the Davidians and incited fire from the compound.
Waco: American Apocalypse suggests that errors stemming from human failings may have been the primary cause of the tragedy rather than the so-called “conspiracy theories” that some may choose to believe. Although those who were very close to the incident may not understand the events any better now than they did in 1993, the documentary offers candid perspectives on their experiences during the siege.