The Branch Davidians were a religious sect that emerged from the Davidian movement, which itself was a splinter group of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Founded in the 1950s, the Branch Davidians were led by David Koresh, who claimed to be a prophet. They believed in an imminent apocalypse and interpreted the Bible in unique ways. In 1993, the group gained national attention during a standoff with federal law enforcement in Waco, Texas. The conflict began when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives attempted to execute a search warrant. The standoff lasted 51 days and ended tragically with a fire that consumed the compound, resulting in the deaths of many members.