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Tragedy at Jonestown

 

 

A family is laid side by side to spend their final moments together.

The Faithful Day

Rescue Operation Gone Wrong:

On November 18,1978 Congressman Leo Ryan toured Jonestown with a television crew and asked if any willing members wanted to leave Jonestown with him but the rescue mission went horribly wrong. Leo Ryan and five others were killed by gunmen sent by Jim Jones on the Port Kaituma airstrip.They were ambushed by the men,but some managed to escape from the gunmen.

Mass Suicide Ordered:

Back at Jonestown, Jones ordered what he called a "revolutionary suicide" campaign.He mixed large quanities of cynanide and valium in a a batch of powdered mix kool-aid and distributed the lethal punch among members. The first to die were the children and then the ones who refused to drink the punch.

Jim Jones Suicide:

Jim Jones body was found the Jonestown pavilion, the main camp gathering area and his cause of death was a another way out by a  gunshot wound to the head. It's unclear whether he killed himself or if someone else commited the grisly task. 

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