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Here's the Surveillance Footage of That Massive Biker Shootout in Texas Last May

The shootout left nine people dead, 18 injured, and more than 170 behind bars.
Drew Schwartz
Brooklyn, US

Surveillance footage of the Twin Peaks shootout. Video via BBC News

Read: Everything We Know So Far About Sunday's Wild Biker Shootout in Waco, Texas

On May 17, families and shoppers were enjoying a Sunday afternoon at a crowded shopping center in Waco, Texas, when a fight between at least two motorcycle gangs—the Bandidos and Cossacks—erupted into a bloody shootout. The gunfight, which took place at a Hooters-style restaurant called Twin Peaks, killed nine bikers, injured 18, and led to the the arrest of more than 170 others who police said had ties to organized crime.

Exactly what went down that day remains a little hazy—there have still been no charges filed over the nine killings, as CNN reports. But a clearer picture emerged Thursday when local cops released surveillance footage of the violence. In the graphic video, you can see bikers draw weapons at the restaurant as the chaos unfolds. Some scramble onto Twin Peaks' patio for cover, while others run inside to hide. One angle apparently shows a man running across the screen with his face bloodied.

After the dust settled, police recovered well over 100 weapons from the scene. Somehow, as the New York Times reported, no officers or bystanders got hurt. And the bikers and their attorneys maintain the mass arrests were unjustified and are fighting to prove that not everyone at the scene that day deserved to be arrested, according to CNN.

Confusion remains, but the assessment offered shortly after the incident by Sergeant Patrick Swanton of the Waco Police Department holds up.

"In 34 years of law enforcement, this is the worst crime scene—the most violent crime scene—that I have ever been involved in," he said.