[USNBandit]

I think there was probably planning on who would cover which areas of the restaurant if there was a fracas. I think the cops were probably stunned that the bikers (well at least one) decided to have a gunfight with so much police presence around the restaurant.

[don-o]

Could being “stunned” have resulted in making the decision to open fire as opposed to, say, firing tear gas?

Could being “stunned” have caused them to ignore the possibility of inaccurate shooting and hitting non-targeted individuals?

I am trying to keep my mind open on the actual operation. I have NOT referred to “police massacre.”

Bottom line, I am asking if the police response was appropriate and proportional to the danger of the situation. Did they choose the best option or could it have gone another way?

[Finny]

I think the cops were probably stunned that the bikers (well at least one) decided to have a gunfight with so much police presence around the restaurant.

Ya think? SIX cop cars, clearly marked and plainly visible?

I'm stunned that so many people actually believe that even one or two of these so-called "criminal" bikers would be so stupid, let alone a crowd of so-called bad-ass "professional" criminals of organized criminal enterprises. HELLO???? Anybody home?????

Don-o, Bandit, there's only ONE THING you need to know, and it is a fact that is not in dispute: Only one third of the 177 arrested even had a criminal record. ONLY ONE THIRD!

Only someone very, very out of touch with reality would entertain the notion that an even half-way hardened criminal over the age of 23, let alone a dangerous bad-ass-biker type criminal, wouldn't have a criminal record as long as your arm. TOTALLY LUDICROUS. The fact that so very few even had a criminal record is ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.

The rest of it -- half a dozen marked cop cars in plain view, conflicting reports of gunfire sounds, the official police story changing dramatically in the first days, lack of bruising on the mug shots of those arrested, the MILLION DOLLAR bail, the extreme vagueness of "weapons found at the scene" that include perfectly legal items --

-- all of those things are only details. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW is that only a third of these supposed dangerous hardened criminals, even had prior records. -- even ignoring all of that

What is happening here is people like Bandit missing the forest because they are so carefully considering each tree.