October 1, 2012 3:11 AM PDT
2 killed, 1 wounded in biker shooting at VFW lodge in Florida
By NBC News
Updated at 8:10 p.m. ET: Two people were fatally shot and one was wounded Sunday morning at a Veterans of Foreign Wars lodge where motorcyclists had gathered for a charity ride to raise money for injured bikers, WESH.com reported.
The shooting occurred around 10:40 a.m. at the VFW Post 5405 in Winter Springs, Fla., about 15 miles northeast of Orlando. Police say the investigation remains in the early stages and that they believe they have the shooter in custody.
Police also believe that the three victims are members of the motorcycle club coordinating the charity ride and that a confrontation took place in the parking lot before it moved inside.
Riders were finishing breakfast, about to embark on the charity ride, when armed men came in and started shooting, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
According to the Sentinel, police evacuated those in the building to a nearby senior center. They also detained several people and confiscated many weapons.
Lt. Doug Seely, a Winter Springs police spokesman, told the newspaper all three victims appeared to be motorcycle-club members.
"We have a lot of crime scene…" Seely said, according to the Sentinel. "We have a lot of people detained and a lot of weapons detained, and we're ascertaining what matches what."
October 1, 2012 3:25 AM PDT
Condolences go out to the familys affected by this terrible tragedy !
October 1, 2012 6:16 AM PDT
well crap!
shooting someone is a final act of desperation... it should NOT be used as a way to end some stupid argument.
My thoughts and condolences go to the dead & injured family & friends. If this keeps up, no one will have a pistol anymore. THINK PEOPLE! What you do, impacts all of us... justsayin...
edgeman...
October 1, 2012 8:25 AM PDT
"......armed men came in and started shooting"?
".....a confrontation took place in the parking lot before it moved inside"?
Sure like an update on that incident. And I hope the victims and families are doing alright. EW, any shooting involving biker clubs isn't of much use to the anti-gunners in a concealed carry state but it certanly doesn't do much for the reputation of bikers in general.
Peace
October 1, 2012 9:42 AM PDT
I wonder what ever happened to the real bikies...the ones that used to settle their differences with fists and clubs..in some field where no one really noticed...instaed of todays media focussed bikies...any fool can shoot a gun.. standing toe to toe with your adversary..using your fists takes guts....
October 1, 2012 12:42 PM PDT
well crap!
shooting someone is a final act of desperation... it should NOT be used as a way to end some stupid argument.
My thoughts and condolences go to the dead & injured family & friends. If this keeps up, no one will have a pistol anymore. THINK PEOPLE! What you do, impacts all of us... justsayin...
edgeman...
↑ +1
You do have a way of assembling words together
October 1, 2012 2:11 PM PDT
There are may places I carry a weapon, a charity ride is not one of them.
October 1, 2012 4:03 PM PDT
Wow. That's a shame. Praying for all involved. Somethin' tells me, there's a whole lot here, we don't know. A grudge, some perceived offense from one patch to another? It ain't the same world, ladies and gents. Things go way wrong over the smallest things anymore. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.
Ride Free
Tweek
October 2, 2012 2:20 AM PDT
There are may places I carry a weapon, a charity ride is not one of them.
I have a CCW permit from a couple of different states and I carry all the time. The shooting at a charity event just goes to show you that it can happen anywhere, to anyone, for any number of reasons. I carry to protect my family, friends, and self. Still, with a CCW comes a helluva lot of responsibility. I don't imagine a scenario (though I probably should) where I'd get involved in a shootout with 3 or 4 people. I mean, I'm gonna step back and let a guy rob a bank; he may have an accomplise noone sees who'd probably step in should anyone decides to be a hero. And, I'm not sure I'd get involved in a situation that when down in Orlando unless it was personal or I was "absolutely" certain I could influence the outcome (save a life).
People are freakin' idiots; they're everywhere. No respect for anyone or anything. They breath the perfectly good air of decent folk. They undeservedly take up perfectly good space of real human beings. Ironic though that violence seems to be a natural make-up of our species. And knowing that I have a right, if not an obligation, to defend and protect myself and family. If, by some chance me or my family ever becomes the victim of violence in a non-carry state, me and or my survivors will bring a lawsuit against that state for denying us the right to defend ourselves. It's a given in my family; go down with a fight regardless.
If you carry legally you've accepted an obligation no matter how you look at it.
Peace
October 2, 2012 3:42 AM PDT
There are may places I carry a weapon, a charity ride is not one of them.
I have a CCW permit from a couple of different states and I carry all the time.
Mine is from PA., but is good in a bunch of states, and yes I also am always armed.
I carry to protect my family, friends, and self. Still, with a CCW comes a helluva lot of responsibility.
Same here, and yes it is a major responsibility I don't take lightly
If you carry legally you've accepted an obligation no matter how you look at it.
Indeed.
October 2, 2012 3:54 AM PDT
Sad story, Thoughts and prayers to the victims of this senseless act. How much you want to bet the members of the "motorcycle club" who were shot belonged to the VFW, but that don't sell papers so they leave the average reader thinking it was some one percenter group involved.
October 2, 2012 9:46 AM PDT
How much you want to bet the members of the "motorcycle club" who were shot belonged to the VFW, but that don't sell papers so they leave the average reader thinking it was some one percenter group involved.
I think you hit the nail on the head.
October 2, 2012 12:20 PM PDT
Maybe someone will post a follow up on this story. I would be interesting to hear just who the feuding factions were.
October 2, 2012 2:35 PM PDT
Maybe someone will post a follow up on this story. I would be interesting to hear just who the feuding factions were.
http://www.macon.com/2012/10/01/2197640/4-arrested-in-vfw-shooting-in.html />
The men arrested were each charged with two counts of homicide and one count of attempted homicide. Police have not released their names.
Read more here:
http://www.macon.com/2012/10/01/2197640/4-arrested-in-vfw-shooting-in.html#storylink=cpy
Police said members of the Pennsylvania Warlocks motorcycle club came to Florida to establish a chapter in Seminole County a few months ago, but said they are not associated with the Florida Warlocks, the first chapter established for a club that has grown since it was founded more than four decades ago, according to the group's website.
"We're still trying to figure out the pieces here and figure out what really happened," said Joe Gault of the Florida VFW.
The Florida VFW started a motorcycle riders group last year, but stressed it is not a motorcycle club. Several years ago, there were occasional scuffles with different biker groups around central Florida and Tampa, but those had nothing to do with the VFW, Gault said.
