2015 Waco shootout
| 2015 Waco shootout | |
|---|---|
| Location | Waco, Texas |
| Date | May 17, 2015 c. 12:00 p.m. CDT (UTC−6) |
| Target | Rival biker gang members |
| Weapons | Knives, guns, bats, chains[1] |
| Deaths | 9 |
| Injured | 18 |
| Perpetrator | Rival motorcycle gangs |
On May 17, 2015, in Waco, Texas, a shootout erupted among as many as five rival outlaw motorcycle clubs, including the Bandidos, the Cossacks, and the Scimitars.[2] The shootout occurred at the local Twin Peaks restaurant and left nine people dead, with 18 others injured.[3][4] It was the most high-profile criminal event to occur in the Waco area since the death of David Koresh and his followers in the Waco siege of the Branch Davidian compound in 1993.[5]
Background
The planned event was described as a meeting of the Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents,[6] the regional bike club coalition.[7] Based in Tyler, Texas, the coalition engages in a broader range of activities, for instance being honored by the city council of Jacksonville, Texas, on May 14 for its involvement in Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month.[8] According to a police sergeant on the scene, the contentious issues of turf and recruitment were to be discussed. Law enforcement knew of the meeting and had at least a dozen local officers plus state officers nearby in case of trouble. The restaurant had agreed to host the meeting. Officers described the restaurant management as uncooperative when confronted with concerns about the meeting.[9] The police also stated that Twin Peaks has been unhelpful in helping them deal with gangs in the past.[10]
In 2014, the Texas Department of Public Safety listed the Bandidos Motorcycle Club as a "Tier 2" threat, the same rating as the Crips, Bloods, and Aryan Brotherhood, but it did not evaluate the Cossacks.[7] The report[11] does not name other clubs spotted at the scene by the Daily Mail.[12]
Shootout
The conflict began sometime after 12:00 p.m., according to Waco police who had been monitoring gang activity at the Twin Peaks restaurant. The original conflict began inside the restaurant, allegedly over a parking spot, and the fight escalated from there and moved outside to the parking lot.[1] Moments later, the rival bikers started firing shots and stabbing other people, leaving a total of nine people dead, as well as 18 others injured.[3] The majority of those killed and injured during the melee suffered gunshot and/or stab wounds. Waco Police Sergeant W. Patrick Swanton initially did not reveal details regarding how many of the dead and injured were shot by police,[13] although he later stated it was possible that some of the victims had been shot by police, saying that "They started shooting at our officers and our officers returned fire."[14] Weapons used during the conflict included chains, brass knuckles, knives, clubs, and firearms.[15] No officers or civilians were injured during the shootout.[16]
Police investigation
The nine people killed were all members of the Bandidos and Cossacks motorcycle clubs.[7] More than 100 weapons were recovered from the scene of the crime, and 170 people have been arrested so far in connection with the shootout and charged with participation in organized crime.[3]
All suspects have reportedly had their bonds set at one million dollars. They were processed at the McLennan County Jail, but some may be transferred elsewhere.[17]
References
- ^ a b "BREAKING: Nine Dead in Shooting at Twin Peaks". KCEN TV. May 17, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Fernandez, Manny; Stack, Liam; Blinder, Alan (17 May 2015). "9 Bikers Are Killed in Shootout in Waco". New York Times. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- ^ a b c "Nine dead, 18 injured in bloody Waco biker brawl". KCEN, WFAA and Associated Press. May 17, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "UPDATES: Police believe five motorcyle gangs involved in deadly Twin Peaks shootout". Retrieved May 17, 2015.
- ^ Montgomery, David. "Up to 170 Face Murder-Related Charges in Biker Melee". New York Times. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- ^ "Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents (website)".
- ^ a b c "'Gruesome crime': Police say 9 dead after Texas biker gang brawl". Fox News. 2015-05-18.
- ^ "Jacksonville Council bids adieu to McDonald; 2 councilmen take oath of office". Jacksonville Progress. 2015-05-14.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Merchant, Nomaan (17 May 2015). "Police: 9 dead in Texas shooting all members of biker gangs". WANE. LIN Television Corporation. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
- ^ Ford, Dana (May 17, 2015). "9 dead in Texas biker brawl". CNN. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "UNCLASSIFIED Texas Gang Threat Assessment" (PDF). April 2014.
- ^ Mia de Graaf (2015-05-18). "Nine dead in clash between biker gangs at Texas 'breastaurant': Shoot-out leaves bodies strewn across parking lot as police warn more Bandidos and Cossacks are flocking to scene for all-out war". Daily Mail.
- ^ Molly Hennessy-Fiske (2015-05-18). "At least 165 arrests in Waco, Texas, biker bloodbath; snipers guard site from roof". latimes.com.
- ^ Haaf, Landon; Bacon, John (May 18, 2015). "Waco police: Some victims may have been shot by officers". USA Today. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Naomi Martin and Claire Z. Cardona (2015-05-18). "9 bikers killed in rival gang shootout outside Waco restaurant". dallasnews.com.
- ^ "Police Detain 170 After Shooting at Waco Restaurant". WBAP. 2015-05-18.
- ^ "Bonds Set At $1 Million For Twin Peaks Shooting Suspects", KWTX.com