Sunday's shootout sounded like something out of a movie, but in reality, this is reality. I happened to be in Waco as the saga unfolded Sunday, and it was a tense nine hours I spent at Baylor Ballpark not knowing what, if anything, might come next.

I happened to be driving within 100 yards of this shootout as it was happening on the way to a Baylor baseball double-header at which I'd be working. Obviously, with hands at 10-and-2 and my eyes on the road, I had no idea shots were being fired directly to my left off of I-35 as I drove to the game.

Once at the game, it was a tense afternoon following the news on Twitter and getting different reports (rumors) from those in the press box at the game while being (figuratively) stuck within a few miles of the shoot out working at the two baseball games. The rumors continued to flow in that more bikers were on the way and that the city was about to be overrun. Having no accountability for truth and/or responsibility to the public is one of the bad sides of the sharing that goes on within the social media world during an emergency situation such as yesterday.

Ultimately, and despite being prepared with a script to read to those in attendance should the violence escalate and force the game's cancellation, the game was played. The fireworks also went off as planned.  Yes, fireworks.  Loud explosions in the sky within hours of nine people being shot and called less than 5 miles away.  Waco PD was contacted, but they didn't say there would be a problem firing off the loud firework display, so the show went on.

As I walked out of the broadcast hub of Baylor Ballpark I snapped a pic on the TV that I thought was appropriate for the day. Photo by me.
As I walked out of the broadcast hub of Baylor Ballpark I snapped a pic on the TV that I thought was appropriate for the day. Photo by me.
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As I suspected, Twitter & social media blew up with speculation that there were guns being fired near Baylor University. I calmed down the people I personally knew  online by explaining it was the fireworks, but I'm sure there were quite a few people taking cover under furniture.

Temple's close proximity to Waco, and my residency in Temple, led me to ask questions about Sunday's violence that left nine motorcycle club/gang members dead, nearly two dozen injured, and well over 100 under arrest for organized crime activities.  Is it over?  Is this just the beginning of an all-out battle for territory that will leave more dead before it's over?  Only time will tell.

The part of this whole nasty mess that I find fascinating is that the restaurant was repeatedly warned by Waco PD that the situation involving biker-related activities at the restaurant could escalate. Hindsight being what it is, we can all criticize now, but imagine the mess they would have been in from a public relations standpoint had they refused to allow the MCs to meet at that location.

The restaurant would have been blown into oblivion online for fear-mongering, and at the end of the day it's about the almighty dollar. Apparently, outlaw motorcycle gangs pay their tabs and tip well. Nobody, not even Waco PD, could have envisioned this massacre.  If there's a bright spot to any of this, it's that no police officers, bystanders or employees were injured. That's a miracle.  That may not be the case next time.

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