Waco

Interlude: Ruby Ridge

The 1992 Ruby Ridge siege is a seminal event in American history, having become a symbol of government overreach and serving as a precursor to the Waco tragedy in 1993. It also served as a rallying cry for anti-government groups and militias throughout the 1990s, and led to an increase in violent rhetoric that lingers to this day.

The Ruby Ridge saga in 1992 is a seminal event in American history, having become a symbol of government overreach, and serving as a precursor to the Waco tragedy in 1993.

For that reason, we're going to take a slight detour in our ongoing coverage of the Branch Davidian saga to briefly touch upon this story, and how it ultimately had an effect on the events unfolding down in Waco, Texas.

The story of Ruby Ridge began with Randy Weaver, a former factory worker and military veteran, his wife Vicki, and their children. The Weavers moved to a remote cabin on Ruby Ridge in northern Idaho in the early 1980s, seeking to live off the grid and escape what they perceived as a corrupt society. Randy became increasingly involved in white supremacist and anti-government groups, eventually attending meetings of the Aryan Nations, a neo-Nazi organization, in the late 1980s.

The ATF began investigating Randy Weaver in 1989 due to his connections with the Aryan Nations and suspicions of illegal weapons possession. In 1990, undercover ATF agent Kenneth Fadeley posed as a weapons dealer and infiltrated the Aryan Nations, befriending Weaver in the process. Fadeley convinced Weaver to sell him two illegal sawed-off shotguns in October 1990, which led to Weaver's arrest in January 1991.

Weaver was released on bail and was ordered to appear in court in February 1991. However, due to a clerical error, he received a letter with the wrong court date, and subsequently missed his hearing. A bench warrant was issued for Weaver's arrest, and he became a fugitive, vowing not to be taken alive.

Before resorting to force, the U.S. Marshals Service made several attempts to persuade Weaver to turn himself in. In August 1991, they sent civilian negotiator Bo Gritz to Ruby Ridge, who met with Weaver's daughters but was unable to make contact with Randy or Vicki. Gritz later claimed that Weaver was ready to surrender but changed his mind when he learned that a federal grand jury had indicted him on charges related to the missed court date.

In early 1992, the U.S. Marshals Service began planning a tactical operation to apprehend Weaver. They conducted extensive surveillance of the Weaver property, often observing the family from concealed positions in the surrounding forest. In August 1992, the Marshals Service finally decided to move in, embarking on the operation they had dubbed "Northern Exposure," thus beginning the infamous Ruby Ridge siege.

On the morning of August 21, a team of six U.S. Marshals, led by Deputy Marshal Arthur Roderick, arrived at Ruby Ridge to scout the area and plan the arrest of Randy Weaver. A confrontation ensued between the Marshals, Weaver, his 14-year-old son Sammy, and family friend Kevin Harris.

During the confrontation, Marshal Roderick shot and killed the Weaver's dog, Striker. In response, Sammy Weaver fired at the Marshals, who returned fire, killing Sammy. Harris, believing that the Marshals had killed both the dog and the boy, fired at and killed Deputy Marshal William Degan. The remaining Marshals retreated and called for backup.

After the initial shootout, the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) was deployed to Ruby Ridge. Due to the perceived danger posed by Weaver and his associates, the FBI's Rules of Engagement (ROE) were altered for this operation. The modified ROE allowed agents to use deadly force if any armed adult was observed outside the cabin. This change would have significant consequences in the days to come.

On the morning of August 22, the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team, led by sniper Lon Horiuchi, took up positions surrounding the Weaver cabin. Randy, his wife Vicki, and Kevin Harris, armed and unaware of the presence of the FBI, left the cabin to visit 14-year-old Sammy's body, which they had placed in a nearby shed.

As they returned to the cabin, Horiuchi fired at Randy, wounding him in the arm. Randy, Vicki, and Harris scrambled back towards the cabin for cover. As they reached the door, Horiuchi fired again, intending to hit Harris. However, the bullet passed through the door, striking Vicki Weaver in the head and killing her instantly. She was holding her 10-month-old daughter, Elisheba, at the time.

Following the tragic shooting, a tense standoff ensued between the Weaver family, Kevin Harris, and the federal agents. The FBI attempted to negotiate with Randy Weaver, but he refused to surrender, demanding that the charges against him be dropped and that his family's safety be guaranteed.

During the standoff, Bo Gritz returned to Ruby Ridge to serve as a mediator between the two sides. Through his efforts, on August 30, Harris surrendered to authorities, having been seriously wounded by the same bullet that killed Vicki. The next day, Gritz convinced Randy Weaver to leave the cabin, and he surrendered peacefully, ending the 11-day siege.

The Ruby Ridge siege left the Weaver family devastated. Vicki and Sammy were dead, Randy and Harris faced criminal charges, and the surviving children were left without a mother. In 1993, Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris were acquitted of murder and conspiracy charges. Weaver was found guilty of failing to appear in court and violating the terms of his bail, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined $10,000.

The Ruby Ridge incident resulted in significant fallout for the U.S. government. Public opinion widely regarded the actions of the federal agents as excessive and heavy-handed, leading to increased scrutiny and criticism of federal law enforcement agencies.

Several investigations were conducted into the actions of the ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and FBI. These investigations revealed a series of miscommunications and tactical errors, culminating in the deaths of Vicki and Sammy Weaver, as well as Deputy Marshal William Degan.

In 1995, the Weavers were awarded a $3.1 million settlement from the U.S. government for the wrongful deaths of Vicki and Sammy. The HRT sniper, Lon Horiuchi, was charged with manslaughter for Vicki's death, but the charges were eventually dismissed due to legal complexities.

In the years following the Ruby Ridge siege, public outrage over the government's actions grew steadily. A perceived lack of accountability for the deaths of Vicki and Sammy Weaver, as well as the involvement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), led to demands for a thorough investigation into the events and the decision-making processes of the involved agencies.

Congressional leaders, responding to public pressure and their own concerns, decided that a full investigation into the Ruby Ridge incident was warranted. In 1995, the Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology, and Government Information, chaired by Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), announced that it would hold hearings to examine the events of Ruby Ridge and the conduct of the federal law enforcement agencies involved.

The Congressional hearings on Ruby Ridge took place over 14 days in September and October 1995. The hearings featured testimonies from a variety of witnesses, including Randy Weaver, family friend Kevin Harris, federal law enforcement agents involved in the siege, and high-ranking officials from the ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI.

Randy Weaver testified before the Senate Subcommittee, recounting the events of the Ruby Ridge siege from his perspective. Weaver emotionally described the loss of his wife, Vicki, and son, Sammy, and expressed his belief that the federal agents involved had acted with excessive force and had violated his family's constitutional rights. Weaver's testimony resonated with many Americans who viewed the government's actions at Ruby Ridge as an example of overreach and abuse of power.

Several law enforcement agents involved in the Ruby Ridge operation also testified before the Senate Subcommittee. Among them were members of the U.S. Marshals Service, who discussed the planning and execution of the initial confrontation that led to the deaths of Sammy Weaver and Deputy Marshal William Degan. FBI agents, including sniper Lon Horiuchi, who fired the shot that killed Vicki Weaver, also provided testimony. These agents attempted to justify their actions, citing the perceived threat posed by Randy Weaver and his associates.

Throughout the hearings, numerous revelations emerged regarding the handling of the Ruby Ridge incident. One significant revelation was the existence of altered Rules of Engagement (ROE) for the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), which authorized the use of deadly force against any armed adult outside the Weaver cabin. Critics argued that these ROE violated the U.S. Constitution's protections against excessive force and contributed to the tragic outcomes at Ruby Ridge.

The hearings also highlighted several instances of miscommunication and poor decision-making by the involved agencies, such as the ATF's handling of the initial investigation into Randy Weaver, the U.S. Marshals Service's tactical approach to the arrest attempt, and the FBI's response to the standoff. Additionally, the hearings brought attention to the lack of coordination between the agencies and the potential consequences of such disjointed efforts.

The Congressional hearings on the Ruby Ridge saga led to increased scrutiny of the ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI, and prompted calls for reform within these agencies. In response, these agencies implemented policy changes, such as revising the Rules of Engagement, improving inter-agency communication, and emphasizing the use of negotiation and de-escalation tactics in similar situations.

Several high-ranking officials from the involved agencies faced consequences for their roles in the Ruby Ridge incident. Larry Potts, the FBI official who had approved the modified ROE, was demoted and later retired from the agency. Several other officials from the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI also faced disciplinary actions or were reassigned to other positions.

The Ruby Ridge hearings had a profound impact on the perception of federal law enforcement in the United States. The hearings fueled the public's concerns about government overreach and the potential for abuse of power by federal agents. As a result, there was a renewed emphasis on preserving civil liberties and ensuring that law enforcement agencies operate within the bounds of the U.S. Constitution.

The Ruby Ridge hearings also served as a catalyst for change within the broader law enforcement community. Police departments and other law enforcement agencies across the country reassessed their policies and procedures in light of the Ruby Ridge incident, implementing changes designed to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

The Ruby Ridge siege is often seen as a precursor to the 1993 Waco tragedy, in which another standoff between federal agents and a religious group known as the Branch Davidians, who were being led by David Koresh, led to dozens of deaths. The ATF's involvement in the Waco operation, along with their actions at Ruby Ridge, contributed to a significant erosion of public trust in the agency - and federal law enforcement as a whole.

The public's mistrust of the government, particularly the ATF and the FBI, was further exacerbated by the perceived similarities between the two standoffs. Critics argued that the government had once again used excessive force and violated the constitutional rights of American citizens, drawing parallels to the actions taken at Ruby Ridge.

The Waco tragedy became another rallying point for anti-government groups, who portrayed the incident as further evidence of federal tyranny and abuse of power. These groups used the events at Waco to reinforce their anti-government narrative, fueling public anger and suspicion towards the government and its law enforcement agencies.

The media's coverage of the Waco siege also played a role in shaping public opinion. In some cases, sensationalized reporting and the focus on the government's use of force overshadowed the complexities of the situation, reinforcing the perception that the government had acted with undue aggression.

The Ruby Ridge and Waco tragedies also had a profound impact on the growth of anti-government and militia movements in the United States during the 1990s. These incidents served as catalysts for the formation of new groups and the further radicalization of existing ones. The rhetoric surrounding Ruby Ridge and Waco provided these groups with powerful recruitment tools, as they sought to exploit public dissatisfaction with the government's handling of both situations.

In the years to come, several high-profile incidents involving anti-government extremists underscored the growing threat posed by these groups. The 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, carried out by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, both of whom were influenced by the events at Ruby Ridge and Waco, remains one of the deadliest acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history.

Another such incident remains unsolved: the 1995 Sunset Limited train derailment near Palo Verde, Arizona, which I covered on this show several years ago. While the individuals responsible for that act were never identified, they left behind a note citing the Waco tragedy as a primary motivation.

Despite efforts to reform federal law enforcement agencies and improve their handling of standoffs and other high-stakes situations, the legacy of Ruby Ridge and Waco continues to shape the public's perception of the government and its role in the lives of American citizens. The events at Ruby Ridge, in particular, played a significant role in fueling anti-government rhetoric, which would have a direct impact on the Waco tragedy and the broader growth of anti-government sentiment in the United States.

The 1992 Ruby Ridge saga remains a cautionary tale of the dangers of miscommunication, heavy-handed law enforcement tactics, and the tragic consequences that can follow. The incident has had lasting impacts on the perception of law enforcement in the United States, serving as a catalyst for the growing anti-government and militia movements that emerged in the 1990s.

In the years since Ruby Ridge, there have been efforts to learn from the mistakes made during the siege and to implement changes to prevent similar tragedies. Law enforcement agencies have reevaluated their tactics and procedures in dealing with standoffs and have placed greater emphasis on negotiation and conflict resolution.

Despite these efforts, the events at Ruby Ridge continue to serve as a stark reminder of the potential for tragedy when the government and its citizens find themselves in conflict. The story of the Weaver family, their loss, and the subsequent fallout from the incident serves as a crucial lesson in the importance of communication, restraint, and the preservation of civil liberties.

It also highlights what can happen when the government overreaches its own authority... or, at least, what can happen when it's perceived to have done so.