If only they had let the police help out in this situation they wouldn’t have this tragedy. Police had been trying to work with the Twin Peaks owners for weeks try and avoid what happened today and keep the peace. Nine people dead…horrible! 

WACO: (May 17, 2015) Three rival motorcycle gangs turned a local restaurant into a shooting gallery Sunday afternoon and when the gunfire was over, nine people were dead and several were injured.

Waco police Sunday afternoon, assisted by Department of Public Safety troopers, police officers from several cities and deputies from the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office were surrounding the Twin Peaks Restaurant, in the Central Texas Market Place after several people were reported shot during a rival motorcycle gang fight, Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said.

Police and troopers were in the parking lot trying to secure the area and protect citizens when a fight broke out inside the restaurant and spilled into the parking lot.

Swanton said the fight quickly escalated from fists and feet to chains, clubs and knives, then to gunfire.

Gang members were shooting at each other and officers at the scene fired their weapons, as well, Swanton said.

The scene at the Market Place between Don Carlos and Twin Peaks was absolute chaos, Swanton said.

The victims were taken by ambulance to Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest Medical Center, which later was placed on lock down, but officials at Hillcrest said they had no comment.

He also said police have been trying to work with management at Twin Peaks for several weeks but have been thwarted in their efforts to avoid a situation like happened Sunday afternoon.

A witness who was having lunch across the parking lot at Don Carlos Mexican Restaurant said he and his family had just finished eating and walked into the parking lot when they heard several gunshots and saw wounded being taken from the fight scene.

“We crouched down in front of our pick-up truck because that was the only cover we had,” the man, who asked not to be identified, said.

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