MC WARS - BANDIDOS VS COSSACKS & THE WACO TEXAS MASSACRE - 9 DEAD, 0 CONVICTED?

The events in Waco, Texas, unfolded in May 2015 during a meeting of the Texas Confederation of Clubs and Independents (C.O.C.), a coalition of motorcycle enthusiasts advocating for their interests. The meeting took place at a Twin Peaks restaurant, which was already known for its popularity among bikers. Tensions were escalating between the Cossacks and the Bandidos, the state's prominent outlaw motorcycle clubs, leading to an outbreak of violence at the gathering. A fistfight ensued, followed by gunfire and chaotic scenes. The aftermath was described as resembling something out of a video game, with bloodstains, weapons, and injured individuals scattered across the area. Nine people were killed, and many others were wounded. The law enforcement response to the incident resulted in the arrest of 177 individuals, representing members from five different gangs. The police seized approximately 320 weapons from the crime scene, including knives, handguns, and an AK-47-style rifle. Initially, 192 people were arrested, and 171 of them were charged with participation in organized crime. The subsequent investigation, known as Operation Texas Rocker, aimed to dismantle the national leadership of the Bandidos. In 1981, an Austin police lieutenant expressed to Newsweek that the Bandidos motorcycle club posed a significant organized crime threat in Texas. The club was established in 1966 by Don Chambers, a former Marine and Vietnam veteran known as "Mother," who led the group until 1972. During that time, Chambers and two other individuals were convicted of a double murder. They had kidnapped two drug dealers who had cheated the Bandidos in a methamphetamine deal. The dealers were forced to dig their own graves in the Texas desert, shot, and their bodies were set on fire. Chambers' successors faced legal troubles as well, as they were all eventually apprehended by federal authorities for various offenses. In 1988, the U.S. Justice Department successfully prosecuted Ronald Hodge, one of Chambers' successors, and presented a case that suggested a hierarchical structure within the Bandidos. Hodge was accused of ordering subordinates to collect funds for an elaborate revenge scheme against a rival club, the Banshees. The plan involved a machine-gun attack on a clubhouse in Texarkana and the bombing of homes and vehicles in Dallas. While prosecutions of Bandidos leadership continued, the organization continued to expand. By 2015, the Justice Department estimated its membership to be between 1,500 and 2,000, making it one of the largest outlaw motorcycle organizations in the world, second only to the Hells Angels. The Texas Department of Public Safety categorizes the Bandidos as a Tier 2 gang, alongside notorious groups such as the Crips, Bloods, Latin Kings, and Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. The Bandidos allegedly forged an agreement with the Texas Mexican Mafia, allowing them to traffic cocaine and methamphetamine without paying the usual 10 percent fee. While not every member of the Bandidos was believed to engage in criminal activities, the organization operated in a manner that intertwined criminal elements throughout its structure. The Bandidos regarded Texas as their exclusive territory. They displayed the Texas flag on their vests, and their influence extended to exerting control over other outlaw clubs in the state. They expected compliance and respect, often leading to trouble for those who didn't conform to their authority. The African Bandits, a Black club, changed their name to the Mandinkas to avoid conflict with the Bandidos. The Bandidos considered Texas their home, and they fiercely guarded their claim to the state. The Cossacks, founded in 1969, were another motorcycle club that had been active for a similar length of time as the Bandidos. For most of their existence, they maintained a relatively low profile. However, by 2015, their membership and ambitions had grown. The Cossacks began wearing a Texas rocker on the back of their vests, signifying their territorial claim. There are different accounts regarding the permission sought by the Cossacks, with some saying they approached the Bandidos and others stating they merely informed them of their decision. In either case, the Bandidos initially gave their approval. However, at a meeting held in Conroe, Texas, in fall 2014, the Bandidos' president, Pike, revoked the Cossacks' permission to wear the Texas rocker. The Cossacks refused to comply, leading to a declaration of war between the two groups. The events in