By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
May 20, 2015
Waco, Texas - The Waco Police Department and other law enforcement agencies, including feds have misinformed the public that the regular scheduled regional biker meeting at the Twin Peaks Restaurant was to recruit members for the outlaw Bandidos Motorcycle Club and that other bikers were headed to the area to take retaliation after a deadly shooting occurred between the Bandidos, Cossacks M.C.s and Waco police, including Texas Rangers. Last Sunday, nine bikers were killed (eight Cossacks and one Bandidos member) and more than 25 were wounded and at least 18 were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.
All of the biker clubs and independent groups including some religious riding groups were attending the Texas Confederation of Clubs And Independents (TCCI) meeting. The motorcycle clubs and groups meet monthly to discuss current or pending state legislation concerning bikers. The TCCI website has the meeting advertised.
Bandidos leader Jimmy Graves and president of the TCCI told KXAN reporter Brian Collister that, "the meeting was intended to be a peaceful gathering for bikers to learn about their rights, and said he has no idea yet how the fighting started, or who started it."
Before the meeting was scheduled to start, some bikers engaged in a fist fight over an argument that apparently began in the bathroom and spilled out into the parking lot where two were stabbed and another biker took out a handgun. That's when Waco police with a SWAT team and Texas Rangers monitoring the biker gathering responded from a nearby area in less than a minute, according to Waco Police Sergeant Patrick Swanton.
Only a few bikers engaged in the fight, but when police arrived, Sgt. Swanton says, it was chaos and that police were fired upon and they returned fire. Social media postings indicate that most of the bikers killed were from police gunfire. Police sources are saying that four bikers were killed by law enforcement including a Texas Ranger. The ongoing investigation includes a forensic ballistics test to determine, if police gunfire killed any of the deceased bikers. The justice of the peace in Waco has determined the bikers deaths as homicides.
About 192 bikers were arrested and charged with a felony for engaging in organized crime and bail was set at $1M. That charge will most likely not stand in court, simply because all of the bikers were legally attending a monthly meeting for clubs and were not engaged in any illegal activity. All the bikers who were wearing colors or club logos on vests were doing it legally and federal courts have ruled it is free speech and not against the law. Texas law allows bars or restaurants as an alternative to prohibit bikers from wearing their club colors inside to prevent any dispute between groups or rival groups.
The Twin Peaks Restaurant management decided to let bikers wear colors for their scheduled meeting. The management decision to allow a legal meeting by biker clubs to take place at the establishment cost them their franchise after the deadly altercation in the parking lot.
Some of the bikers carrying weapons were legally doing so, because many have a carry conceal weapon permit. By Waco police and other law enforcement agencies arresting 192 bikers and charging them with a felony each only indicates that authorities might have violated the Constitutional rights of the bikers not involved in the fight other than being at the scene with club members.
Only the few who ignited the deadly brawl and engaged in a fight can be actually charged for a felony crime and misdemeanor crimes that took place at the parking lot. By the end of the investigation most of the bikers arrested and charged will most likely have their charges dropped.
Those bikers who were found to be carrying drugs and illegal weapons will face minor or felony charges.
Waco police and the feds haven't released any information, if they were taking photos and video intelligence monitoring of the gathering. Police are reviewing video surveillance cameras at the establishments in the vicinity and police squad dash cameras to determine who shot at who on Sunday.
Other biker clubs and groups that had gathered for the TCCI meeting at the Twin Peaks Restaurant were the Black Arms M.C., Escondidos M.C., Gypsy M.C., HonorBound Motorcycle Ministry, In Country M.C., Leathernecks M.C., Los Pirados M.C., Renatus M.C., Scimitars M.C., Tornado Motorcycle Club, the Vietnam Vet/Legacy Vets M.C., Distorted M.C., Los Caballeros M.C., the Bogatyrs and Vise Grip M.C.
The following nine victims were killed during the Twin Peaks Restaurant biker gun battle between the Bandidos and Cassacks M.C.s in Waco, Texas.
● Daniel Raymond Boyett, 44, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Wayne Lee Campbell, 43, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Richard Mathew Jordan Jr., 31, shot in the head.
● Richard Vincent Kirshner Jr., 47. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jacob Lee Rhyne, 39, shot in the neck. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jesús Delgado Rodriguez, 65, shot in the head. (Bandidos M.C. affiliate)
● Manuel Issac Rodriguez, 40. (Bandidos M.C.)
● Charles Wayne Russell, 46, shot in the chest. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Matthew Mark Smith, 27. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Daniel Raymond Boyett, 44, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Wayne Lee Campbell, 43, shot in the head. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Richard Mathew Jordan Jr., 31, shot in the head.
● Richard Vincent Kirshner Jr., 47. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jacob Lee Rhyne, 39, shot in the neck. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Jesús Delgado Rodriguez, 65, shot in the head. (Bandidos M.C. affiliate)
● Manuel Issac Rodriguez, 40. (Bandidos M.C.)
● Charles Wayne Russell, 46, shot in the chest. (Cossacks M.C.)
● Matthew Mark Smith, 27. (Cossacks M.C.)
The following 143 suspects were arrested and booked on Sunday at the McLennan County Detention Center (jail) in Waco, Texas and were charged with one felony count each for Engaging in Organized Crime. Bail was set at $1M each. At least 115 of 170 bikers arrested have no criminal record, AP reported.
Update: Waco Police Sergeant Patrick Swanton released the following statemant, "In response to those that have cried false and ludicrous Conspiracy Theories we say this: We are continuing our investigation with the assistance of the McLennan County District Attorney office, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Hwy. Patrol, their Criminal Investigation Division and the Texas Rangers. We also have solicited the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. It would be impossible to have that many of the country’s finest Law Enforcement Officers fabricate anything other than what actually occurred there.
"We would like to remind our citizens you are safe. There have been no credible threats towards you. We do continue to receive threats on Law Enforcement but that is expected in our line of work. However…we would also like to remind those involved…You know WE did nothing to start this.
"All though we have had a large number of individuals arrested at the scene, we did not arrest everyone as some parties say. Some were intentionally released on the day of the incident as it was apparent they had no involvement. Additional arrest may occur. The McLennan County Sheriff Office has done a tremendous job in processing an overwhelming number of individuals and for that…we thank you."
CCTV video from inside Twin Peaks Restaurant shows that no biker fist fight happened inside as Waco Police Sergeant Swanton has stated. The video footage contradicted the police version. Also, that more than 27 bikers were injured by police gunfire and that most of the deceased bikers were killed by police gunfire.
An assistant Waco police chief and the entire SWAT team were just across from the Twin Peaks Restaurant when the biker brawl in the parking lot began.
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