Here’s a wrap of the day’s happenings in the aftermath of Sunday’s shootout in Waco, which left nine people dead, 18 injured, and around 170 charged with engaging in organized crime stemming from the shooting, with bond set at $1 million for each suspect.
Detective Turned Bus Driver Fired
A former San Antonio police officer has been fired from his job as a school bus driver after his arrest following the deadly shootout involving bikers at a Waco restaurant.
A spokesman for the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, said that 62-year-old Martin Lewis, a former police detective, was fired after district officials learned Wednesday of his arrest in Waco. Spokesman Pascual Gonzalez told the San Antonio Express-News that Lewis had passed a background check when the district hired him in August 2014.
Lewis retired from the San Antonio Police Department in February 2004 after 32 years of service. He is jailed on the $1 million bond and is charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. Online records for the jail do not indicate an attorney who could comment on behalf of Lewis on the charge, or the district’s decision to fire him.
Those Weaponry Numbers Don’t Match Up
The police count of the number of weapons recovered from the scene of the deadly Waco shootout continues to fluctuate.
Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton now says crime scene officers have made a new weapons’ count and come up with 318 “and still counting.” Swanton said he expected the count to continue to rise.
Of those weapons counted so far, 118 are handguns, one is an AK-47 assault-style rifle and 157 are knives. Swanton says weapons still uncounted are clubs, knives, brass knuckles, firearms and chains with padlocks attached.
Earlier, Swanton had lowered an estimate of recovered weapons from about 1,000 to about 500. The uncertainty over the count prompted Swanton to ask the police crime scene supervisor to give him a firmer count.
New Mexico On Alert Ahead Of Memorial Day Rally
The Waco shootout has put law enforcement agencies on alert for an annual motorcycle gathering in northern New Mexico. Authorities say they have heightened awareness for the Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally in Red River, which is expected to attract 20,000 bikers, though spillover violence isn’t expected.
Red River Town Marshal David Smith says he will tell officials to be extra vigilant.
Past attendees of the New Mexico event in the state’s Enchanted Circle include members of the Bandidos, who, authorities say, were involved in the shooting in Waco. After meeting with federal authorities, Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said local agencies do not have any intelligence that tensions from the Waco brawl will continue at the New Mexico rally.
South Dakota To Have Extended Command Center For August Annual
It has also elevated security concerns for the upcoming Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. The annual rally draws hundreds of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts to South Dakota’s Black Hills. Organizers are expecting up to 1 million people for the 75th anniversary event in early August.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley told the Argus Leader newspaper that his office had contacted authorities in Texas about the shootout. Jackley said the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation plans to keep a command center open longer during the rally.
Sturgis City Manager Daniel Ainslie said officials would be “vigilant to ensure the safety” of rally-goers. But he added that rally organizers were not planning additional security beyond what the city already had planned.
Security Video Shows Bikers Helping Others To Safety
Security camera video reviewed by The Associated Press shows that as gunfire broke out in the parking lot of a Texas restaurant, dozens of bikers ran for cover inside and tried to guide others to safety.
The video suggests the Sunday gunfight that left nine dead was contained almost entirely outside the restaurant, besides one gunshot fired by a biker on the patio who then runs inside.
On the patio, bikers are seen ducking under the tables and trying to run inside. At least three people were seen holding handguns. One biker is seen running with blood on his face, hands and torso. The AP was shown the video by representatives of the Twin Peaks restaurant franchise. They have not released the video, citing the ongoing police investigation.
