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What Really Happened in the Waco Motorcycle Gang Massacre?
Reason ^ | June 18, 2015 | Brian Doherty

Posted on 06/19/2015 6:57:59 AM PDT by don-o

One month ago yesterday, on the early afternoon of May 17, in and outside the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas, a bevy of marauding motorcycle gangs who had gathered to create some sort of criminal trouble (the cops had already warned the restaurant to not let them meet there) began a wild melee of shooting at each other and at police. Nine people would eventually lose their lives, and 18 others were wounded.

Waco police (including a SWAT team) and officers from the state Department of Public Safety–who were all already on the scene, aware of the potential for trouble–swung into action, nipped the violent chaos in the bud, and put 177 violent criminals behind bars on charges of "engaging in organized criminal activity." Bail was uniformly, and understandably, set at $1 million.

So went the story as told at the time by the Waco police. But in the ensuing month the behavior of law enforcement that day has come increasingly into question.

snip

Even if, as the lawyers I've spoken to predict, the vast majority of those arrested eventually end up released unindicted, without specific proof of their intent or participation in any crime at the scene, that doesn't make the police's actions harmless. Imagine how your work life, family life, and home life, would be affected by being suddenly without warning locked away for weeks. Jobs, custody, relationships can all be lost. You've been marked in a manner not easily washed away.

(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: policebrutality; ronpaul; waco
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To: TexasCajun
We believe that autopsies are going to show ... that the 18 wounded were shot by police.
Heh. Well, that is either going to be a long wait, or .... well, I shudder to even think it.
21 posted on 06/19/2015 7:59:30 AM PDT by Cboldt
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To: Mariner
I believe the police were never fired upon, as they claim.

That should be subject to evidence unless every single shot was above their heads.

Regardless, according to Waco Chief Brent Strother, HIS men we sitting in their vehicles when what HE calls a "violent altercation" broke out. So, it breaks out, then police get out of vehicles, acquire targets and three of them fire a total of 12 rounds. No timeline exists (because????) but, cobbling together reports, they ceased fire in around two minutes from initial gunfire in the parking lot.

It seems to me that this aspect is not getting the attention it deserves.

There is a property seizure affidavit that recounts an environment of increasing suspicious and potentially ominous actions at the restaurant, while the cops were chillin' in their cruisers. They got caught flat footed.

22 posted on 06/19/2015 8:02:10 AM PDT by don-o (I am Kenneth Carlisle - Waco 5/17/15)
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To: donozark
What is it with Waco and massacres?

Don't Walk To Waco.

23 posted on 06/19/2015 8:15:17 AM PDT by Steely Tom (Vote GOP: A Slower Handbasket)
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Comment #24 Removed by Moderator

Comment #25 Removed by Moderator

To: don-o

Good Point


26 posted on 06/19/2015 8:39:38 AM PDT by BlueMondaySkipper (Involuntarily subsidizing the parasite class since 1981)
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To: don-o
I believe the police were never fired upon, as they claim.

I guess that's everyone's big question.

Did the cops believe Cossack/Bandito shooting were shots fired at them and they returned fire upon bikers indiscimiently?

27 posted on 06/19/2015 8:41:52 AM PDT by TexasCajun (Hillary: Ethically Sleazy & Politically Stupid)
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To: wrench

Nailed it.

What bullets were fired by which firearms at the scene were in the bodies of the deceased?


28 posted on 06/19/2015 8:44:45 AM PDT by Blueflag (Res ipsa loquitur: non vehere est inermus)
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To: donozark

Pronounce WHACO Crazy.....


29 posted on 06/19/2015 8:49:31 AM PDT by Uversabound (Our Military past and present: Our Highest example of Brotherhood of Man & Doing God's Will)
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To: TexasCajun; Mariner
To be clear, the italicized snip you posted

I believe the police were never fired upon, as they claim.

is not my comment. It belongs to Mariner.

30 posted on 06/19/2015 8:53:59 AM PDT by don-o (I am Kenneth Carlisle - Waco 5/17/15)
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To: don-o
His most recent weapons-on-the-scene count is 475, including 151 firearms. The police impounded 130 motorcycles and 91 other vehicles, and so far have returned 52 of the motorcycles and 47 of the other vehicles. The police claim they found weapons buried on the grounds, and that somehow even at this late date the number of weapons on scene might still go up.

That comes to more that 75% carrying if they had one firearm each. You'd think by now, since all those wearing vests are hardened criminals (cough), we'd have heard of new charges for all the illegal possessions. At least that charge could be easily verified by the public so the LEOs would want that out there. Ballistics would prove which, if any, of those were fired that day and those not should have been returned weeks ago.

I may not be a math whiz but 130 motorcycles + 91 other vehicles = more vehicles than people killed and arrested. Lets throw in a handful of damaged vehicles owned by Don Carlos' customers but you still have too many vehicles because there is no way some didn't ride double on the bikes and there weren't passengers in the other vehicles.

The number of weapons found going up at this late date would indicate a drop gun for CYA.

More painfully for Clendennen, while in jail "my ex-wife served me with a petition" to restrict his custodial arrangement with his son to supervised visits, and filed a restraining order, leaving him, thanks to the arrest, "in the middle of a legal battle" and unable to be alone with his son or to discuss his civil or criminal cases with him.

And he won't be the only one in this situation. Loss of jobs, reputation, custody, missed car and rent payments, etc. Then there are the lawyer fees.

Chief Stroman says that federal ATF is handling the ballistics investigation into exactly what sort of weapons were used

FOX AND HEN HOUSE

31 posted on 06/19/2015 9:30:17 AM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "we still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: GingisK
That actually bears an investigation. There are some jack-boots living near there.

I think the first place to look is the Waco ATF office. They are the common thread in both.

32 posted on 06/19/2015 9:33:44 AM PDT by zeugma (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3294350/posts)
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To: DavidLSpud

Carol Moore did some excellent research. Here “waco holocaust museum” is deeply disturbing.


33 posted on 06/19/2015 9:38:24 AM PDT by zeugma (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3294350/posts)
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To: AppyPappy

You are confusing biker gangs with biker clubs.

The majority of those arrested were biker club members.


34 posted on 06/19/2015 9:40:25 AM PDT by wrench
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To: wrench
You are confusing biker gangs with biker clubs.

Which is common and a huge and dangerous problem in this thing.

35 posted on 06/19/2015 10:21:43 AM PDT by don-o (I am Kenneth Carlisle - Waco 5/17/15)
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To: TexasCajun

“and that the 18 wounded were shot by police”

from the forfeiture actions posted yesterday, statements from two of the wounded:

“The Bandido shot Nelson in the neck and the bullet exited his shoulder.”

“Veillon was shot, but continued to fight with Bandidos. He is seen on video picking something up off the ground and hitting a Bandido with it, according to the documents.


36 posted on 06/19/2015 10:42:55 AM PDT by AMDG&BVMH
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To: AMDG&BVMH
Thanks for the update.

Nelson was the Cossack ?

37 posted on 06/19/2015 11:50:55 AM PDT by TexasCajun (Hillary: Ethically Sleazy & Politically Stupid)
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To: TexasCajun

Ray A. Nelson Jr.
Jeffrey Veillon

Both these wounded are Cossacks and not arrested.

Other wounded from the report:

Jeff Battey, Bandido, shot in upper shoulder.

“Waco police officer saw Battey and Ray Allen standing behind the restaurant “in a triangulated position” to Mathew Smith, who was lying on the ground about five yards away and was “gasping for air.” Both Battey and Allen were wearing Bandidos vests.
The officer noticed that Allen had a silver handgun in his hand and said it looked like Battey had been shot in his upper right shoulder, according to the documents.”

Allen, a Bandido, is still in jail.

“Matthew Mark Smith, 27, died of gunshot wounds to the trunk.” I have not seen the club affiliation for the deceased; guess is he was a Cossack.


38 posted on 06/19/2015 1:17:03 PM PDT by AMDG&BVMH
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To: AMDG&BVMH
That is the most details I've read on the incident.

Have a great weekend.

39 posted on 06/19/2015 1:25:05 PM PDT by TexasCajun (Hillary: Ethically Sleazy & Politically Stupid)
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To: don-o
That's a great summation. Amazing how many military veteran witnesses report the same as to gunfire -- two or three rounds of small arms fire, followed by what one Marine veteran said was "several bursts of assault weapons shots" and another Marine veteran witness described as "overbearing suppression fire of M-4 rounds."

The saddest thing is that law enforcement just accepts that the Bandidos can harass and extort money from "club" members, as the narrative paints it -- the Cossacks paying a "fee" through the CoCI and rebelling because they didn't want to pay it anymore -- fee for what? Being able to wear, while engaging in perfectly legal activities, a special kind of patch that says "Texas" on it? And the cops just shrug that hey, the Bandidos say you can't do it, so don't make waves ...???

The whole thing is screwy.

40 posted on 06/19/2015 7:44:43 PM PDT by Finny (Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. -- Psalm 119:105)
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