On February 28, 1993, some 80 agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) raided a religious compound at Mount Carmel, near Waco, Texas, after receiving reports that the Branch Davidians and their leader, David Koresh, were violating federal firearms regulations. After several ATF agents and Davidians followers were killed in the gun battle that followed, a cease-fire was arranged, several law enforcement agencies came on-scene, including hostage negotiators and rescue teams from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Even thought the release of children were successfully negotiated in exchange for food and other supplies, negotiations broke down due in-fighting in the law enforcement community, especially between the negotiators and the Hostage Rescue Team (which handled all the tactical maneuvers). The latter team, frustrated by the slow pace of negotiations, employed aggressive tactics like playing ear-splitting music or crushing the Davidians' cars-disrupting often-delicate negotiation efforts. Eventually, the FBI tried to end the 53 day siege by punching holes into the compound by firing explosive via armored vehicles, in order to pump tear gas over several days, which turned out to be flammable. Three fires broke out almost simultaneously in different parts of the building and spread quickly and engulfed the compound. In the aftermath, remains on-site exhibited signs of self-inflicted gun shot wounds, the "cult leader" received a gun shot wound to the head, several followers were tried and acquitted, and after several government investigations there are lingering questions about the FBI's role in the matter.