Hell's Angel Shooting

[DunedinDragon]

This can't be!!!!! In a state that earned an A- from the Brady Bunch for their gun control legislation???!!!!! Must be an error in reporting....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12128619/

Updated: 5:22 a.m. ET April 3, 2006
WEST HAVEN, Conn. - A motorist opened fire on a group of Hell’s Angels motorcyclists along Interstate 95 on Sunday, killing one and injuring another, police said.

The bikers were traveling near West Haven around 3:30 p.m. when they were shot, said State Police spokesman Sgt. J. Paul Vance.

Police were considering a number of possible motives including road rage, and were searching for a sport utility vehicle with Florida license plates, Vance said.

Roger Mariani, 61, of Stratford, pulled over before realizing he had been shot in the upper torso, Vance said. He later died at the Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Paul Carrol, 37, of Bridgeport, who was grazed by a bullet, was treated at the hospital and released, Vance said.

 

[Biker]

Strange...It'll be interesting to learn more as details emerge. Personally, I believe that a SUV would be a more effective weapon than a gun against motorcycles on a freeway.
Biker

 

[Tokugawa]

No kiddin', Biker! And thier dosen't even need to be homicidal intent. This could be a new poll- would you rather be shot at or run over by a cell phone talkin' fool.......

 

[MCgunner]

Rival gang, no doubt. I've been reading that the HAs are trying to move in to Texas and the Banditos are threating war. There was a shooting of a HA "organizer" in Austin the other day.

Don't bother me, got little use for colors. I don't lookin' for trouble with bike gangs and that's about the only way you can get 'em after you, if you go lookin' for trouble. They don't jack with ordinary citizens.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why various LE organizations can't take these guys down, though. I mean, they're heavy into drugs and whatever illegal they can make money on. They've taken down the mafia and they're not as easy to spot. These guys carry a sign on their back identifying them to law enforcement. LOL!

 

[Master Blaster]

Pagans = 4 guys in an SUV who shoot at hells angels on the road.

 

[Biker]

Things are lookin' rough for the HAs. Between them, the Mongols and Banditos, it's gonna get noisy.
Nowadays, the only patch I wear is an eagle on my back with a big DILLIGAF patch beneath it.
Life is good.
Biker

 

[Erebus]

Yea but this was in Connecticut not Texas. My guess is it's road rage or just some freak that has a beef with bikers.

I guess I would rather be shot. Shooting requires intent and likely a reason which I probably provided, even if it's a bad or stupid reason. But getting off'd by some oblivion SUV driving, cellphone talker is just embarrasing.

 

[dmallind]

Well maybe if CT put up 100% stop and search stations on roads leading into their state they'd prevent out of staters bringing guns in from more lax regimes; then this senseless slaughter would have been stopped and, more importantly, they'd get a straight A from Brady!

Seriously I doubt a Ford Explorer with Florida plates is a sign of a SW biker gang war, probably just some pissed off and perhaps mentally defective senior citizen who didn't want to be stuck in traffic with a bunch of bikers and got spooked. Some people have seen way too many old movies and get a bit hyperventilative when they see more than a couple of people on bikes at the same time. I don't even ride a Harley or wear colors (other than a penchant for bright yellow jackets and helmet for visibility ) and I see a lot of nervous faces when we go riding in groups, which in our case is even more strange because we're a bunch of dentists, engineers, and MBA types - hardly the Wild Ones!

 

[DRZinn]

DILLIGAF?

??

 

[Biker]

Do I Look Like I Give A F***?
A lot of outriders wear it in these parts.
Biker

 

[MCgunner]

I have two main street bikes, not including my little 200cc DP bike. I have a SV650S, a little sportbike aka by some as a "crotch rocket", though it's no R1 or anything. It's just a fun, economical bike that looks sporty, goes well, and handles great since I set up the suspension a little. Still would like an Ohlin's shock on it to jack the rear up and make it turn in a little quicker. Then, I have an old Gold Wing. On the Wing, I don't get any attention from public or cops, just another aging old man on a GoldWing. Of course, I wear a full face helmet about everywhere. More evil stares and more law enforcement "attention" even though I'm not speeding or riding stupid on the SV! I got pulled over once 'cause the cop thought I "accelerated too quickly" from a light, didn't even pull the front off , never exceeded the 45 mph speed limit. When I pulled the helmet and the grey hare fell out, I think the cop was a little taken aback. I think he was probably a Harley guy, cause when he let me go, he says "Take it easy on that "crotch rocket"". Clueless. I was probably road racing my TZ250 in AMA (1980/81) when this kid was in three cornered pants.

I don't think ANYONE on a Harley around here gets the looks I get on that friggin' SV. It's all the stupid street stunters, not around here, but ride up to Houston sometime. I was turning the corner at 290 off Barker Cypress road NW Houston going up to a racer friends house once when this guy turns the corner on an Aprilia Tuono, kicks his foot back on the passenger rail, brings it up on the rear wheel, and proceeds to dodge through traffic, real impressive. It's the stunter jerks that are giving the sport bike crowd the bad name now days, at least down here. There are so friggin' many Harleys down here they're quite socially acceptable. How ironic is THAT, eh? Even the COPS are Harley guys! Sport bikers are the outlaws now.

Sometimes I kinda wish I'd gotten the standard SV rather than the sport version just because of the more socially acceptable looks. It's just as quick, just as economical, and handles just as well, but it doesn't have the "R1 look". If I actually thought a liter sport bike and 190 mph were necessary on the street, it'd be one thing. But the SV can double the speed limit, how fast you gotta go? And, it gets good mileage, is tons of fun to ride, and I liked the look of the sport model. It's not really a "crotch rocket", but it has the look and ordinary people don't know the difference.

 

[dmallind]

Yes I hear you there - the guys with all the bright colored plastic and the silly stunts are tainting the reputation of metric bikers. I'm a big fat middle aged guy on an FZ1, which is the upright slightly detuned version of the R1 MCG mentioned for those unfamiliar with it - not really a crotch rocket either and certainly not one of those "monkey humping a football" race-replica jobbies (BTW MCG I have Penskes rather than Ohlins, but in my case it's to handle my 280lb carcass without wallowing - metric bikes are set up for 140lb Japanese gymnasts not knuckle-dragging lardasses like me, and can certainly speak to the vast difference upgraded suspension makes regardless of weight - you have much more secure and coordinated behavior with better springs on both ends) with no go faster crap like "racing" pipes or lowered bars. Still I get a lot of attention, although I'm not too bothered by that really as long as it's not attention in the CT sense! I would rather have people stare at me with the dayglo yellow helmet and jacket and the high beams on during the day than have them not open their damn eyes and see me when they are turning across my lane!

 

[One of Many]

It May have been a case of road rage. I have been stuck behind large groups of bike riders for miles, that were going much less than the posted speed limit. The spacing between bikes was such that you would have to pass the entire column of bikes, and the road and opposing traffic did not permit that to happen.

When people are in a hurry, and others on the road deliberately slow them down, tempers flare; that may have been the case in this report.

 

[Lobotomy Boy]

Rival gang, no doubt. I've been reading that the HAs are trying to move in to Texas and the Banditos are threating war. There was a shooting of a HA "organizer" in Austin the other day.

Don't bother me, got little use for colors. I don't lookin' for trouble with bike gangs and that's about the only way you can get 'em after you, if you go lookin' for trouble. They don't jack with ordinary citizens.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why various LE organizations can't take these guys down, though. I mean, they're heavy into drugs and whatever illegal they can make money on. They've taken down the mafia and they're not as easy to spot. These guys carry a sign on their back identifying them to law enforcement. LOL!

This post is so full of BS that I don't know where to begin.

For starters, the Angels are a club, not a "gang." And what on earth makes you think this was a rival club? Never mind that this happened half a continent away from Texas, but I wouldn't be worried about a "war" between the HAs and the Banditos anytime soon. Whatever went down in Austin was most likely a personal disagreement between some club members that doesn't necessarily mean there will be some sort of fiery battle commencing.

As for why the law doesn't "take these guys down," it's most likely because the clubs themselves aren't "heavy into drugs and whatever illegal they can make money on." Plenty of club members do fit that bill, but plenty more don't. Some state chapters are worse than others this way, but even the most corrupt chapters have plenty of members who are law-abiding citizens. These people aren't arrested because they aren't breaking any laws. If the government starts arresting people simply because of who they choose to associate with, well then I think every one of us on this list will end up in Gitmo sooner rather than later.

 

[Strings]

I actualy sent this to some friends... I'm curious to see what comes of it (particularly the motive). Of course, there's a good chance the shooter just commited suicide...

For what it's worth, I suppose you could say I wear "colors": check the sig. But I've never had any problems with any of the locals MCs...

 

[gunsmith]

when I was in FL

I was informed ANY PATCH that wasn't approved, would get you killed.

they seemed very serious to me.

 

[Strings]

well... it depends on the dominant club in the area, and what kind of patch you're talking about (and how you handle the situation)...

If you're talking about a commercially available patch, there shouldn't be a problem.

If you're talking about a patch for a group, but not an MC (one piece, doesn't say MC, MB, etc), and you approach the dominant club in the area respectfully, you shouldn't have a problem (BACA fits here)...

If you're talking about a patch that's a copy of an MC patch, in any way, you're probably going to have problems...

Honestly, MCs don't start in on the general public, unless someone starts something with them...

 

[meef]

MCgunner:

When I pulled the helmet and the grey hare fell out, I think the cop was a little taken aback.

Good lord, can you blame him?

Imagine stopping somebody who begins the conversation by doing a classic magic trick on you.

Albeit with a motorcycle helmet rather than a black top hat.

 

[beerslurpy]

MC? I dont get what you guys are talking about? Why would people kill each other over a bike club membership?

 

[Strings]

why would people snort cocaine, or drink and drive, or irritate Tamara? Some people get worked up over odd things...

 

[30-06 lover]

Never mind

 

[bratch]

I read somewhere else that I95 (i think it was) is a major drug corridor. Maybe a bad drug dreal.

 

[tellner]

It sounds like someone just made a career move there. The Angels are many things. One of them is "businessmen". Another is "loyal to their own". Letting people get away with shooting their people messes with their business model and their loyalties. By all reports they have a very limited sense of humor about that sort of thing.

 

[Fire4Effect]

This is a topic that is best left alone...

 

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