Page 7 - Aruba Today
P. 7
U.S. NEWS A7
Thursday 24 March 2016
48 more bikers indicted in
Waco shootout that left 9 dead
NOMAAN MERCHANT ning inside and crawling for nine people killed were n this May 17, 2015 file photo, authorities investigate a shooting
Associated Press cover. struck by the same cali- in the parking lot of Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas.
DALLAS (AP) — A Texas Prosecutors have not in- ber of rifle fired by Waco
grand jury indicted 48 more dicted anyone specifi- police. Officers only used Associated Press
bikers Wednesday in con- cally for murder in the nine .223-caliber rifles that day,
nection with a May 2015 deaths. The organized though it’s not clear if any
shootout outside a Twin criminal activity charge in- bikers also did. Police and
Peaks restaurant that left corporates allegations that the district attorney’s office
nine dead, bringing the to- every person indicted was have defended the of-
tal number of people fac- responsible for the deaths ficers’ use of force, claim-
ing felony charges to 154. and injuries that ensued in ing that bikers had also
Prosecutors in Waco an- the gunfire. opened fire on authorities.
nounced that all the bikers Dallas attorney Don Tittle
indicted are charged with said Wednesday’s indict-
engaging in organized ments appeared to cen-
criminal activity, meaning ter on bikers who weren’t
they’re accused of being members of the two major
complicit in the shooting clubs present — the Ban-
that also left 20 people in- didos and the Cossacks —
jured. They face 15 years to but rather part of smaller
life in prison if convicted. “support clubs.” Dozens
District Attorney Abel of Bandidos and Cossacks
Reyna won indictments have already been indict-
against 106 other bikers in ed.
November. In a statement Tittle is representing about
Wednesday, he did not 15 bikers who have filed
rule out more indictments or plan to file civil lawsuits
in what he called “an on- against Waco authorities
going investigation.” for wrongful prosecution.
Six of the 48 people newly “There were people that
indicted have not been were tragically killed, and
arrested, and their indict- there is no doubt there’s
ments remain under seal. some individuals that
But Reyna and the district should be charged with
clerk’s office confirmed criminal offenses,” Tittle
they were facing the same said. “But the overwhelm-
charge as other bikers. A ing majority of the people
spokeswoman for Reyna there that day were noth-
did not respond to a ques- ing more than present at
tion about whether the the time that the incident
grand jury declined to in- occurred.”
dict in any cases present- Investigators have offered
ed. few details publicly about
Reyna has been harshly what sparked the fight or
criticized by attorneys who how the gunfire played
say he’s prosecuting doz- out. Police have cited a
ens of bikers who were at gag order in the criminal
the restaurant only for a case of one of the bikers.
peaceful gathering of mo- Media groups including
torcycle clubs. The Associated Press have
At that gathering, a squab- fought the order, contend-
ble outside ended in a ing it is overly broad and
shootout between bikers unconstitutional.
from various clubs and po- Much of the narrative
lice who were already sta- about the shooting has
tioned nearby. Surveillance come from evidence ob-
video from the restaurant tained by the AP. Ballistics
shows dozens of bikers run- reports show four of the
