this is how it is done: Twin Peaks 2 AMer - Waco Texas Style
Sunday, May 17, 2015 4:54 PM
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Nine dead in biker gang shooting at Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas
Associated Press in Waco, Texas
Sunday 17 May 2015 18.40 EDTLast modified on Sunday 17 May 2015 19.33 EDT
Nine people were killed on Sunday and some others injured after a shootout erupted among rival biker gangs at a Central Texas restaurant, sending patrons and bystanders fleeing for safety, a police spokesman said.
The violence erupted shortly after noon at a busy Waco marketplace along Interstate 35 that draws a large lunchtime crowd. Waco police Sergeant W Patrick Swanton said eight people died at the scene of the shooting at a Twin Peaks restaurant and another person died at a hospital.
It was not immediately clear if bystanders were among the dead, although a local TV station, KCEN-TV, reported that all of the fatalities were bikers and police confirmed that no officers had been injured or killed.
Another local station, KXXV, reported that police had recovered firearms, knives, bats and chains from the scene. Restaurant employees locked themselves in freezers after hearing the shots, the station said.
How many injuries had occurred and the severity of those injuries was not known.
“There are still bodies on the scene of the parking lot at Twin Peaks,” Swanton said. “There are bodies that are scattered throughout the parking lot of the next adjoining business.”
A photograph from the scene showed dozens of motorcycles parked in a lot. Among the bikes, at least three people wearing what looked like biker jackets were on the ground, two on their backs and one face down. Police were standing a few feet away in a group. Several other people also wearing biker jackets were standing or sitting nearby.
Swanton said police were aware in advance that at least three rival gangs would be gathering at the restaurant and at least 12 Waco officers in addition to state troopers were at the restaurant when the fight began.
When the shooting began in the restaurant and then continued outside, armed bikers were shot by officers, Swanton said, explaining that the actions of law enforcement prevented further deaths.
It was not known what triggered the violence but Swanton and McLennan County district attorney Abel Reyna said tensions had simmered among rival gangs for months.
“Apparently the management [of Twin Peaks] wanted them here and so we didn’t have any say-so on whether they could be here or not,” Swanton said.
Attempts to contact Twin Peaks for comment were not immediately successful.
The fight inside the restaurant began when punches were thrown and quickly escalated to include chains and knives before firearms were drawn, Swanton said.
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