Police in the US state of Texas say nine people have been killed in a shootout between rival biker gangs in the city of Waco.

The incident happened at the Twin Peaks Sports Bar and Grill in a shopping area called the Central Texas Market Place.

Police said eight had died at the scene and a ninth in hospital - all were bikers. At least 16 others were hurt.

One witness quoted by the Waco Tribune-Herald said the car park of the restaurant resembled "a war zone".

"There were maybe 30 guns being fired in the parking lot, maybe 100 rounds," Michelle Logan said.

Diners at the Twin Peaks café said they and the staff had locked themselves in a freezer room for safety before being escorted off the premises by armed police.
'Dangerous and hostile'

Waco police said the shooting happened shortly after midday when rival gangs got into a fight. At least three gangs were involved.

Police moved in when shooting started and some of them also discharged their weapons, he added. Three people were arrested at the scene.

"These are very dangerous hostile biker gangs," Sgt Swanton said. "A lot of innocent people could have been injured today."

He said there were concerns that groups involved in the shooting may have moved to other locations in and around Waco.

He asked residents to avoid the area until an all-clear is issued.

Waco police said no officers had been injured in the shooting.

Police in Waco, Texas say nine people are dead and multiple people are injured after a shooting between rival biker gangs at a restaurant Sunday.

Authorities say the nine people killed in the shootout were all members of rival biker gangs that had gathered for a meeting.

Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton told The Associated Press that eight people died at the scene of the shooting at the Twin Peaks restaurant about noon Sunday and another person died at a hospital. The severity of injuries to others was not immediately known and it is not clear if bystanders at the restaurant were among the injured.

"There are still bodies on the scene of the parking lot at Twin Peaks," he said. "There are bodies that are scattered throughout the parking lot of the next adjoining business."

Swanton says the gangs had arranged to meet to discuss differences when a fistfight began and quickly escalated to include knives and firearms. He says there were "hundreds" of gang members and a small number of other patrons in the restaurant.

"This is probably one of the most gruesome crime scenes I've ever seen in my 34 years of law enforcement," Swanton said, later adding, "I was amazed that we didn't have innocent civilians killed or injured."

At least 18 people were transferred to local hospitals with gunshot and stab wounds.

Swanton said Department of Public Safety troopers, police officers from several cities and deputies from the McLennan County Sheriff's Office have surrounded the restaurant to secure the area.

“Officers were on scene when shooting started,” the Waco Police Department posted on Facebook. “No officers have been injured.”

"Dozens" of suspected gang members have been detained, Swanton said.

A photo from the scene showed dozens of motorcycles parked in a lot. Among the bikes, at least three people wearing what looked like biker jackets were on the ground, two on their backs and one face down. Police were standing a few feet away in a group. Several other people also wearing biker jackets were standing or sitting nearby.

Swanton said police were aware in advance that as many as five rival gangs would be gathering at the restaurant and at least 12 Waco officers in addition to state troopers were at the restaurant when the fight began.

When the shooting began in the restaurant and then continued outside, armed bikers were shot by officers, Swanton said, explaining that the actions of law enforcement prevented further deaths. Patrons and bystanders dove for cover.

It's not known what triggered the violence but Swanton and McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna said tensions had simmered among rival gangs for months.

"Apparently the management (of Twin Peaks) wanted them here and so we didn't have any say-so on whether they could be here or not," Swanton said.

Swanton told KWTX that the fight started in the restaurant with fists and feet, then escalated to chains, clubs and knives and then to gunfire.

“Please avoid the Central Texas Market Place as the area is NOT safe. Officers are continuing to arrest individuals coming to the scene with weapons,” the Waco Police Department posted on Facebook. “This is not the time to sight see as we are dealing with very dangerous individuals.”

Police also were heading to a nearby Flying J Truck stop because a large number of bikers were seen gathering there, KWTX reports.

A witness who asked not to be identified told KWTX that he had just finished eating lunch at the nearby Don Carlos Mexican Restaurant with his family and walked out into the parking lot when they heard gunshots and saw wounded people being taken from the scene.

"We crouched down in front of our pick-up truck because that was the only cover we had," the man said.

Swanton declined to identify the gangs but many men wearing vests inscribed with the words "Bandidos" or "Cossacks" were seen in the area.

In addition to local and state police, agents from the FBI and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also at the scene about an hour and a half south of Dallas.

Swanton said authorities are concerned that gang members are moving to other parts of the city to continue the confrontation elsewhere.

McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna told KWTX earlier this month that law enforcement was aware of simmering conflicts between gangs that gathered at the restaurant.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 Ghazkuul wrote:
I fondly remember those wonderful Monday mornings, hung over beyond belief, or still drunk from the weekend, 5am PT and here comes our Sgt, drunk off his butt and he just points towards the barracks room and we have Sam Crow PT instead of the normal haze fest :-P

With all those amusing thoughts aside, im surprised the police didn't stop this from happening. Biker gangs are not exactly hard to track anymore

"Apparently the management (of Twin Peaks) wanted them here and so we didn't have any say-so on whether they could be here or not," Swanton said.

"Apparently the management (of Twin Peaks) wanted them here and so we didn't have any say-so on whether they could be here or not," Swanton said.

 Ghazkuul wrote:
did anyone see this and immediately think....SONS OF ANARCHY! because I know I sure did :-P

 BaronIveagh wrote:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-32776280

Police in the US state of Texas say nine people have been killed in a shootout between rival biker gangs in the city of Waco.

The incident happened at the Twin Peaks Sports Bar and Grill in a shopping area called the Central Texas Market Place.

Police said eight had died at the scene and a ninth in hospital - all were bikers. At least 16 others were hurt.

One witness quoted by the Waco Tribune-Herald said the car park of the restaurant resembled "a war zone".

"There were maybe 30 guns being fired in the parking lot, maybe 100 rounds," Michelle Logan said.

Diners at the Twin Peaks café said they and the staff had locked themselves in a freezer room for safety before being escorted off the premises by armed police.
'Dangerous and hostile'

Waco police said the shooting happened shortly after midday when rival gangs got into a fight. At least three gangs were involved.

Police moved in when shooting started and some of them also discharged their weapons, he added. Three people were arrested at the scene.

"These are very dangerous hostile biker gangs," Sgt Swanton said. "A lot of innocent people could have been injured today."

He said there were concerns that groups involved in the shooting may have moved to other locations in and around Waco.

He asked residents to avoid the area until an all-clear is issued.

Waco police said no officers had been injured in the shooting.

See, that's what I love about Texas. It's fun down there.

 Grey Templar wrote:

 Ghazkuul wrote:
I fondly remember those wonderful Monday mornings, hung over beyond belief, or still drunk from the weekend, 5am PT and here comes our Sgt, drunk off his butt and he just points towards the barracks room and we have Sam Crow PT instead of the normal haze fest :-P

With all those amusing thoughts aside, im surprised the police didn't stop this from happening. Biker gangs are not exactly hard to track anymore

Maybe not hard to track in urban areas. But Texas is big. Besides, the gangs probably outnumbered the local cops pretty heavily so they'd need backup from other departments.

 Dreadwinter wrote:
Has anybody heard from Frazzled lately? Have the Wiener Legions been deployed?!

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
What is it about Waco that it seems to be the centre of bad news?

I remember what happened in the 1990s....

 Frazzled wrote:

 Do_I_Not_Like_That wrote:
What is it about Waco that it seems to be the centre of bad news?

I remember what happened in the 1990s....

If you had ever been to Waco you would understand.
Its not gangstery. Its just like having a house in the middle of freaking nowhere.

 stanman wrote:
A gunfight in Texas, I'm not even sure I'd call that news. At least nobody beyond the biker gangs were hurt, if that shoot out would have happened in NY or Chicago there'd be like two dozen innocent bystanders dead and not one gang banger. Bikers are at least familiar with firearms where the typical city gang bangers aren't.

 mitch_rifle wrote:
Similar to the milipira massacre we had here in oz a fair while ago

 Jihadin wrote:
Wow. It seems the shootout was over who has the right to wear the banner for "Texas". Bandido's was wearing it and the Cossacks started wearing it. Turf war

 Dreadclaw69 wrote:
This line stuck out to me;

"Apparently the management (of Twin Peaks) wanted them here and so we didn't have any say-so on whether they could be here or not," Swanton said.

I wonder what the owner's history is.