Nine battling bikers died over the weekend during a major shootout between rival gangs that police say included knives as well as “brass knuckles, chains, clubs and firearms.”
Investigators also claim the violent mayhem at the Waco Texas club -- which literally left “pools” and “streams” of blood on the ground and barroom floor -- was entirely avoidable had its owners merely heeded numerous warning signs.
On Sunday about 200 unruly bikers from five different gangs descended on the Twin Peaks sports bar, a place which had many times in the past been the scene of biker conflicts.
This time, however, when an inevitable brawl broke out, it quickly escalated beyond fisticuffs, ending in knife fights and a massive shootout that spilled into the parking lot and even saw police returning gunfire.
It’s not clear what the initial argument was about, but when the biker bloodbath was finally over, nine participants were dead, 18 wounded, and another 100 arrested.
"It was a very gruesome, very violent crime scene," one veteran officer said. "There were pools of blood, there were streams of blood … probably one of the most violent, gruesome crime scenes I have seen in 35 years of service."
All responding law enforcement agencies squarely put the blame for the murderous melee on the Dallas-based restaurant chain itself, which claims to be "the ultimate sports lodge known for its rugged man-cave atmosphere" and whose management continued to woo biker business despite prior violent clashes.
Today, as their Waco establishment lies blood-soaked and in ruins, they say they’re “shocked” that this last incident turned so deadly, and are fully cooperating with investigators.
