United States Department of Justice

“ E. Death and Suicide No one could have predicted with certainty that Koresh and his followers would commit suicide. There were many pieces of evidence suggesting both that Koresh was not suicidal and that he was suicidal. While so much of Koresh's preaching and the Davidians, religious beliefs revolved around notions of mass destruction, apocalyptic confrontations, and the like, it was very difficult during the standoff for the FBI to reach any particular conclusion regarding the possibility of suicide. ”

“ VI. Attitudes of Koresh and others in the Compound A. Introduction Koresh and his followers inside the compound manifested strong attitudes on a variety of subjects relevant to the negotiation process. Their attitudes toward religion and Koresh's deified status, law enforcement and organized government, and death and suicide all posed obstacles to a successful, peaceful end to the standoff. ”

“ The experts who analyzed the letters Koresh sent out between April 9 and April 14 also reached different conclusions regarding the possibility of suicide. Dr. Miron rejected the possibility of suicide, stating the following after reviewing Koresh's April 9 letter: "In my judgment, we are facing a determined, hardened adversary who has no intention of delivering himself or his followers into the hands of his adversaries. It is my belief that he is waiting for an assault. ”