Posted on 03/08/2016 2:25:56 PM PST by Elderberry
Federal authorities have finished their testing and review of 151 firearms, as well as bullet fragments and cartridge cases, recovered from the deadly biker clash last year at the Twin Peaks in Waco.
The work was done by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at the request of Waco Police, who are leading the investigation of the incident,
"We are just processing it for them; we are not making investigation decisions," said Special Agent Nicole Strong, of the ATF's Houston Division. "Now it is up to the police department to determine what they do with that information."
McLennan County authorities contend the clash was rooted in an ongoing beef between the Bandidos and Cossacks motorcycle clubs as well as their supporters.
The ATF looked into whether the guns had been used in previous crimes, as well as traced who first purchased them, to who had possession of them during the May clash.
Authorities have yet to say who they believe fired the first shot, let alone sort out who among the bikers was acting as an aggressor and who was acting in self-defense.
Most of the guns had not been fired, but were handed over by the bikers.
Lucien Haag, a New Mexico-based firearms and ballistics expert, contends that even with the ballistics and related work completed, it might be tough to know for sure who fired which gun or under what circumstances.
He said, for example, that a biker could say that amid the chaos he grabbed a gun that was left on the ground and sought to defend himself but did not realize that it had just been used to shoot someone else and dropped.
Some guns are a lot easier to connect to bullets than others, and bullets that have bounced off walls,
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
IBTG
In CA this would not have been a problem since we have mandatory registration of handguns and long guns.
Did you forget the sarcasm tag?
Fox and hen house. The ATF were already set up on spot that day.
Would your mandatory registration show the first buyer of an old handgun, first purchased in another state, then resold, and then ended up in your state. And then finally registered when the first CA buyer bought it?
That whole debacle was CAUSED by ATF and Waco police.
Well......., There's a Problem.....
I wonder if they also tested the police weapons?
Citizen, you have been wondering too much of late. Please report to Bill Errs “Work Makes you Free” Kamp....
Do you think the ATF could identify the original owner?
Far far from home far far from home?
Worth repeating, but as you say, There's a problem.
Every single one of the owners of these weapons have been indicted. Additionally, some unknown number of indicted suspects were not armed when they went to the Twin Peaks Restaurant. What is you next step Mr. Prosecutor? If I were you, I would be telling the county authorities that they better raise taxes, because the civil suits coming out of this debacle is going to cost the taxpayers a bundle.
Why? That would be silly!
later..
Yeah, and odd that they didn't have any video equipment set up, as simple as it is these days.
They tested 151 firearms “recovered”?
What about the 100 or so “authorized” and “issued” weapons?
/S
How is that?
Pre 1968 GCA firearms are pretty much invisible. But once the 4473 and bound book requirements came in, the ATF can go to the manufacturer and find out where the gun was originally shipped (distributor, shop) and then find the original purchaser in the bound book. After than the trail can grow cold, but the newer the weapon, the more likely they can follow it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.