Tag Archives: Bandidos

Today in Texas History – May 17

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Grand jury indicts 106 in Waco biker shooting - CBS News

From the Annals of the Shoot-outs –  In 2015, members from the Bandidos and Cossacks  motor cycle gangs and other bikers began fighting at the Twin Peaks restaurant off Hwy 6 in Waco.   Police were monitoring the scene and after gunshots were fired a major shoot out commenced.  As one of Red’s friends cynically reported at the time, “No one was injured – (sotto voce) – nine bikers were killed.”  In fact, nine gang members were killed and twenty others injured.  Unraveling the sequence of events has been challenging.  It does appear that most of the dead were killed by police fire.  More than 150 were arrested at the scene, but there has been but one trial of Bandido leader Jake Carrizal more than two years later.  And that ended in a mistrial.  The overall impression is that the McClellan County District Attorney’s office was overwhelmed with the extent of these cases and has badly bungled the investigation and prosecution of some who clearly committed crimes and others who did not.

Today in Texas History – May 17

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From the Annals of the Outlaws –  In 2015, a deadly biker gang brawl broke out at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco.   The planned gathering of so-called motorcycle enthusiasts started peacefully but escalated into full-fledged gallegedang warfare after a member of the Cossacks ran over the foot of a Bandidos gang member.  The two rival gangs had been fighting over the very important issue of whether the Cossacks could wear the “Texas” rocker on bottom of their motorcycle jackets and vests.  The Waco fight was apparently the culmination of months of increasing hostility and random beatings of gang members.  Six Cossacks, two Bandidos, one Scimitar and one unaffiliated biker were killed, with it being likely that several were shot by police officers who had been monitoring the scene.  Another  18 were injured and at least 170 gang members and others were arrested at the scene.

Bail for most of those charged was set at $1 million.   McClennan County  prosecutor Michael Jarrett said videotape of the shootout shows “Bandidos executing Cossacks, and Cossacks executing Bandidos”. Arguing in favor of the high bonds, Jarrett said, “The facts and circumstances of this case are so extraordinary and so different from anything we have ever dealt with, we believe adequate bonds need to be in place to ensure the safety of this community.” Most of the bikers have since been released, and it seems likely that some innocent people were swept up in the hysteria following the shootout which received world-wide publicity.   And the criminal prosecutions have been on a slow track.  The Waco DA’s office seems overwhelmed and not up to the task of sorting out who actually was killed by who.

106 Bikers from Twin Peaks Shoot-Out Finally Indicted

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After only 8 months of prosecutorial twisting in the wind, the McClennan County District Attorney finally obtained indictments against 106 of the bikers involved in the March 2015 shoot-out at the now closed Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco.  The wheels of justice are grinding slowly, but not particularly finely as there were no indictments for murder or assault issued by the grand jury. All were indicted on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity.  For unknown reasons, 9 of the 106 indictments were sealed.  Another 71 bikers were arrested and perhaps the murder, assault and weapons charges are going to be leveled against those individuals.  In any event, the MCDA has seemed overwhelmed by this massive project.

Video of Waco Biker Gang Shootout Emerges – Bikers Run Like Little Girls

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After months of rampant speculation and very little (make that almost no) evidence of what actually happened, we finally have a video shot from the outside dining area at the now-defunct Twin Peaks in Waco.  While a few stalwart gang members stand relatively steadfast (one prominent Cossack member whips out his pistol attempting to provide cover for the headlong flight of his colleagues) when the shooting erupts, the vast majority of the self-proclaimed meanest, toughest bad asses around run, scramble and crawl their way to safety apparently leaving their fallen brethren behind.  How embarrassing.

DPS Reports that Texas Biker Gangs Were Fighting Over Turf Before Waco Bar Battle

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The bar fight that left 9 bikers dead, 18 wounded and over 150 imprisoned with a $1 million bail set apparently erupted over typical biker gang turf issues.  And apparently, the Texas Department of Public Safety was aware of the brewing problems as it issued a bulletin on May 1st that alerted local authorities about increasing violence between the Bandidos and the Cossacks. All nine bikers who were killed on Sunday were members of those groups.

According to the DPS, the problems stemmed from the Cossacks refusing to pay Bandidos dues for operating in Texas and for wearing a Texas patch on their colors without the Bandidos’ approval.

“Traditionally, the Bandidos have been the dominant motorcycle club in Texas, and no other club is allowed to wear the Texas bar without their consent.”

The DPS bulletin also relayed information from the FBI concerning the Bandidos discussing “going to war with Cossacks.”  The bulletin also mentioned recent incidents that were escalating tensions between the two groups.  In March, 10 Cossacks forced a Bandido to pull over along Interstate 35 near Waco and attacked him with “chains, batons and metal pipes before stealing his motorcycle.”  That same day, a group of Bandidos confronted a Cossack member at a truck stop in Palo Pinto County. When the Cossack member refused to remove the Texas patch from his vest, the Bandidos hit him in the head with a hammer and stole it.

Red is glad to know that these two groups are killing each other over such important matters.  He feared it was something trivial.

No One Was Injured – Nine Bikers Were Killed

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Another note on the Waco Biker Gang Shootout.

Red does have to wonder why the police intervened so quickly.  In another 30 minutes the herd could have been severely culled to the clear advantage of us all.  They should have rounded them up, taken them to a field outside town and let them go at until no one was left standing.

Bike Gang Shootout Results in Mass Arrests

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The lunch time biker gang shoot out at Twin Peaks Restaurant in Waco has resulted in almost 200 arrests.  KWTX in Waco reports that the aftermath of the bloody Sunday shootout will continue for months as police and prosecutors sort out what happened when at least five biker gangs clashed.

All arrested suspects have been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity but some could face more charges as the investigation continues.

The nine bodies of gang members who died in the Sunday afternoon parking lot shootout at Waco’s Twin Peaks restaurant had been taken to various morgues for autopsy.

Bullet-riddled vehicles left behind by customers and employees still sat in the parking lot between Twin Peaks and Don Carlos restaurant but were being moved to forensic laboratories for investigation Monday morning.

At least two bikers were arrested in the early morning hours on Monday as they rode into town but their identities and charges were not made public.  Local law enforcement officers said they remain on edge in an effort to prevent any more violence.

Rival motorcycle gangs turned a local restaurant into a shooting gallery Sunday afternoon and when the gunfire was over, nine people were dead and 18 were injured.

Early Monday, law enforcement had turned their attention to the risk of additional bike gang members looking to retaliate, and initiate further violence in the Waco area.

The fight apparently erupted over a long brewing conflict between the Bandidos and the Cossacks.