Lost in the chaos Branch Davidian tragedy at 25: How the story overtook the storytellers

[Elderberry]

WacoTrib by J. B. Smith 2/24/2018

On a drizzly February morning 25 years ago, a Waco Tribune-Herald reporter knocked on a door on Double EE Ranch Road, 12 miles east of town.

He was preparing to ask permission to set up to observe “a news story” expected to unfold at a religious commune across the street.

A face appeared in the door, twisted in surprise and anger. The man didn’t let the reporter finish the question.

“Get the f--k out of here,” the man sputtered.

The reporter, Tommy Witherspoon, hurried back to a silver Honda Accord, where a photographer and another reporter waited. The car backed out of the driveway at 9:45 on a Sunday morning, Feb. 28, 1993.

Up to this moment it was possible to believe that this was a local story — newsworthy but not world-shaking. Those in the car that day recall thinking of it as a coda to the big story that had started running the day before.

In a seven-part “Sinful Messiah” series, readers were learning about the Branch Davidians and their messianic leader, who had recently changed his name from Vernon Howell to David Koresh. A slew of ex-members accused him of asserting divine mandate to take at least 15 “wives” and to have sex with young girls.

Witherspoon had a tip that that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms might serve a warrant that morning for the possession of illegal automatic weapons. Witherspoon recalls expecting to see Koresh and a crowd of his followers come out with their hands raised.

Reporters from KWTX had gotten a similar tip and were waiting in cars down the road, but the station management hadn’t staffed up for live coverage and was scheduling the story for the 6 p.m. newscast.

For the moment, everything seemed under control. A moment later, nothing did.

The reporters in the silver Honda noticed two trucks pulling cattle trailers, covered in tarps, speeding down Double EE Ranch Road from Elk Road, followed by a KWTX crew and another Tribune-Herald car.

More: http://www.wacotrib.com/news/branch_davidians/branch-davidian-tragedy-at-how-the-story-overtook-the-storytellers/article_1c3b98b0-b32d-518f-91f1-ca68ba5fbc4a.html

[Smokin Joe]

Of all those media people, hordes of which descended on the area to follow the siege, didn't any of them consider that raids for CHild Protective Services' functions are NOT the purview of the BATF?

If the raid had child welfare as any consideration, the first wave of attackers would have had LSW and a number after their name--and not been dressed in tactical garb packing rifles.

[Victoria33]

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