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David Koresh | |
|---|---|
 Photograph of Koresh taken in 1987 by police after his arrest. | |
| Born | Vernon Wayne Howell August 17, 1959 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | April 19, 1993 (aged 33) |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wound to the head or fire wounds sustained in the Waco siege |
| Body discovered | Mount Carmel Center McLennan County, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Tyler Memorial Park Cemetery, Tyler, Texas 32°21′23″N 95°22′03″W / 32.35640°N 95.36750°W |
| Occupation | Leader of the Branch Davidians cult |
| Known for |
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| Spouse | Rachel Jones |
| Children | 16[1] |
David Koresh (/kəˈrɛʃ/[citation needed]; born Vernon Wayne Howell; August 17, 1959 – April 19, 1993) was an American cult leader[2] who played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993.[3][4] As the head of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect, Koresh claimed to be its final prophet. His apocalyptic Biblical teachings, including interpretations of the Book of Revelation and the Seven Seals, attracted various followers.[5]
Coming from a dysfunctional background, Koresh was a member and later a leader of the Branch Davidians, a movement originally led by Benjamin Roden, based at the Mount Carmel Center outside Waco, Texas. There, Koresh competed for dominance with another leader, Benjamin Roden's son George, until Koresh and his followers took over Mount Carmel in 1987. In the early 1990s, he became subject to allegations about polygamy and child sexual abuse by former Branch Davidian associates.
Further allegations related to the Branch Davidians' stockpiling of weapons led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and later the FBI to launch a raid on the group's Mount Carmel compound in February 1993. During the 51-day siege and violence that ensued, Koresh was wounded by ATF forces and later died of a gunshot wound in unclear circumstances as the compound was destroyed in a fire.
- ^ England, Mark (September 5, 1993). "12 children killed in fire Howell's, ex-member says". Waco Tribune-Herald. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
- ^ Johnstone 2015, p. 83.
- ^ Burton, Tara Isabella (April 19, 2018). "The Waco tragedy, explained". Vox. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ Tracey, Ciaran (October 31, 2018). "Why 30 Britons joined the Waco cult". BBC News. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- ^ Staff (October 10, 1993). "The Book of Koresh". Newsweek. Retrieved November 23, 2021.