Posted on May 20, 2015
Waco, Texas, Shooting: Take a Look Inside Biker Gang Culture. Your thoughts?
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Following a deadly Waco, Texas biker gang brawl over the weekend, a pair of experts in biker gangs paint a picture of a culture revolving around territory, turf wars and the underlying sense that violence could break out at any moment.
Charles Falco, who was a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said gangs "will conduct violence at the drop of a hat if they think someone is disrespecting who they are, their territory."
Members of as many as five biker gangs gathered at Twin Peaks Restaurant in the Central Texas Market Place Sunday to discuss their differences, according to Waco Police Sgt. Patrick Swanton. But then an "additional biker gang that was not invited to this meeting showed up," Swanton said. "Hence, what we were calling somewhat of a turf war, if you will."
Sunday's fight escalated to include knives and firearms as gang members fired at each other in the Twin Peaks parking lot, police said, adding that nine suspected gang members died and 170 were arrested.
According to Edward Winterwalder, who said he was a member of the Bandidos gang for six years, turf is everything for bikers.
"The reason it's a big deal goes back to when we were on the playground in the first grade, when you had two bullies on the playground and the playground wasn't big enough for the both of them to play on in the same area," Winterwalder said. "It's the same thing now. The clubs play better when they're not on the same territory together."
Swanton declined to name the gangs present Sunday, but photos of some of the bikers taken after the fight showed them wearing jackets with the names Cossacks and Scimitars. In addition, McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara -- whose office is investigating the incident -- told The Associated Press all nine people killed were either members of the Bandidos or Cossacks
The Texas Department of Public Safety has classified the Bandidos as a Tier 2 gang -- the second most dangerous classification -- according to the most recent "Texas Gang Threat Assessment" report, released by DPS in April 2014.
"Although these gangs vary in size and structure, they are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime across urban, suburban and rural areas of Texas," the assessment said.
According to the report, the Bandidos formed in the 1960s and "conducts its illegal activities as covertly as possible and avoids high-profile activities such as drive-by shootings that many street gangs tend to commit.
"However, members are not covert about making their presence known by wearing the gang colors, insignia and riding in large groups. They seek to turn public sentiment in their favor by organizing frequent charity runs. Bandidos are likely to focus on recruiting new members with no criminal history."
The U.S. Department of Justice identifies the Bandidos as one of the two largest "outlaw motorcycle gangs" in the U.S., with about 900 members in 93 chapters, making it similar in size to the Hell's Angels.
According to the Department of Justice website, the Bandidos are "involved in transporting and distributing cocaine and marijuana and are involved in the production, transportation and distribution of methamphetamine." The group is most active in the Pacific, Southeast, Southwest and West Central U.S.
The Cossacks and Scimitars are not listed on the Department of Justice's "Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs" page and were not mentioned in the 2014 "Texas Gang Threat Assessment."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/waco-texas-shooting-inside-biker-gang-culture/story?id=31159132
Charles Falco, who was a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said gangs "will conduct violence at the drop of a hat if they think someone is disrespecting who they are, their territory."
Members of as many as five biker gangs gathered at Twin Peaks Restaurant in the Central Texas Market Place Sunday to discuss their differences, according to Waco Police Sgt. Patrick Swanton. But then an "additional biker gang that was not invited to this meeting showed up," Swanton said. "Hence, what we were calling somewhat of a turf war, if you will."
Sunday's fight escalated to include knives and firearms as gang members fired at each other in the Twin Peaks parking lot, police said, adding that nine suspected gang members died and 170 were arrested.
According to Edward Winterwalder, who said he was a member of the Bandidos gang for six years, turf is everything for bikers.
"The reason it's a big deal goes back to when we were on the playground in the first grade, when you had two bullies on the playground and the playground wasn't big enough for the both of them to play on in the same area," Winterwalder said. "It's the same thing now. The clubs play better when they're not on the same territory together."
Swanton declined to name the gangs present Sunday, but photos of some of the bikers taken after the fight showed them wearing jackets with the names Cossacks and Scimitars. In addition, McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara -- whose office is investigating the incident -- told The Associated Press all nine people killed were either members of the Bandidos or Cossacks
The Texas Department of Public Safety has classified the Bandidos as a Tier 2 gang -- the second most dangerous classification -- according to the most recent "Texas Gang Threat Assessment" report, released by DPS in April 2014.
"Although these gangs vary in size and structure, they are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime across urban, suburban and rural areas of Texas," the assessment said.
According to the report, the Bandidos formed in the 1960s and "conducts its illegal activities as covertly as possible and avoids high-profile activities such as drive-by shootings that many street gangs tend to commit.
"However, members are not covert about making their presence known by wearing the gang colors, insignia and riding in large groups. They seek to turn public sentiment in their favor by organizing frequent charity runs. Bandidos are likely to focus on recruiting new members with no criminal history."
The U.S. Department of Justice identifies the Bandidos as one of the two largest "outlaw motorcycle gangs" in the U.S., with about 900 members in 93 chapters, making it similar in size to the Hell's Angels.
According to the Department of Justice website, the Bandidos are "involved in transporting and distributing cocaine and marijuana and are involved in the production, transportation and distribution of methamphetamine." The group is most active in the Pacific, Southeast, Southwest and West Central U.S.
The Cossacks and Scimitars are not listed on the Department of Justice's "Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs" page and were not mentioned in the 2014 "Texas Gang Threat Assessment."
http://abcnews.go.com/US/waco-texas-shooting-inside-biker-gang-culture/story?id=31159132
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OMGs are no joke, and they are growing their core ranks and subsidiaries. TSgt Joshua Copeland SGT (Join to see). They are also attracting many Soldiers and Veterans. Terrority matters to the 1%ers. Rockers and MC. Check out the colors of some of supposed Veterans bike organizations.
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SGT (Join to see)
I didn't know the Bandidos was started by a dockworker and RVN vets. The way we were treated doesn't surprise me that Viet vets would be drawn in to a culture who took care of their own. They couldn't get any positive recognition here, in their own country, so they felt like the Bandidos were family. That's my take on it. I had a friend who was a Bandido. He was killed in a gunfight in Houston with another wannabe gang. He was a Viet vet and used drugs a lot. I didn't know he was a Bandido until his brother told me he was dead.
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TSgt Joshua Copeland
Yep, most of the "old" MCs were started by former military. It is not a happy accident the Bandidos colors are Red and Gold.
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SFC Tyrone Almendarez
Great read about biker gangs and there roots.
http://www.corrections.com/news/article/25849-biker-gangs-have-deep-roots
http://www.corrections.com/news/article/25849-biker-gangs-have-deep-roots
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I hardly consider 9 deaths a bloodbath. The news channels are really laying it on thick for this.
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SGT (Join to see)
Well, CPT (Join to see), doesn't the news always blow everything out of proportion? This is something new they can have a field day with.
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SFC (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see), the Boston massacre only had five dead and six wounded, but it's still called a massacre. Nine dead with who 18 wounded could reasonably be called a bloodbath.
Trust me, I'm no fan of the media, but this was a pretty big shootout.
Trust me, I'm no fan of the media, but this was a pretty big shootout.
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The Bandidos were formed in Houston in the 1960's. They owned some property in downtown Houston. It was called Market Square. They had bars, shops where almost everything you wanted, they had it. They had signs at each location which read. "You Steal, We Deal, And It Ain't Going To Be Pretty". Here's some history about them.
A Houston dockworker started the gang in San Leon in Galveston County in 1966, recruiting young Vietnam vets across the state apathetic about a return to blue-collar civilian life. Since then, the gang has gone international with chapters in more than a dozen countries.
The Justice Department considers the Bandidos one of the eight most dangerous motorcycle gangs in the U.S due to links to drug, weapon and human trafficking (Bandido officers have often denied the majority of their members take part in organized criminal activities; read a lengthy 2007 profile on them in Texas Monthly).
Only about 2.5 percent of gang members are in motorcycle gangs, according to a 2013 FBI study. The Bandidos – with some 2,500 members worldwide – are one of the largest alongside their hated rival, the Hells Angels.
Chapters have their own unique (and sometimes grotesque) rites of passages and pledge undying loyalty to fellow members. However motorcycle gang leaders insist the clubs are not rowdy and dangerous like the organizations that first started in the 1940s and 50s. Territory disputes between the Bandidos and rivals are not uncommon as evidenced by the Waco shootout.
A Houston dockworker started the gang in San Leon in Galveston County in 1966, recruiting young Vietnam vets across the state apathetic about a return to blue-collar civilian life. Since then, the gang has gone international with chapters in more than a dozen countries.
The Justice Department considers the Bandidos one of the eight most dangerous motorcycle gangs in the U.S due to links to drug, weapon and human trafficking (Bandido officers have often denied the majority of their members take part in organized criminal activities; read a lengthy 2007 profile on them in Texas Monthly).
Only about 2.5 percent of gang members are in motorcycle gangs, according to a 2013 FBI study. The Bandidos – with some 2,500 members worldwide – are one of the largest alongside their hated rival, the Hells Angels.
Chapters have their own unique (and sometimes grotesque) rites of passages and pledge undying loyalty to fellow members. However motorcycle gang leaders insist the clubs are not rowdy and dangerous like the organizations that first started in the 1940s and 50s. Territory disputes between the Bandidos and rivals are not uncommon as evidenced by the Waco shootout.
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