Off-duty Seattle policeman involved in Sturgis bar shooting
Scoot
Off-duty Seattle policeman involved in Sturgis bar shooting
Sturgis, S.D., and Seattle law enforcement are investigating how an off-duty
Seattle police officer shot a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club
about 1 a.m. Saturday.
By Karen Gaudette
Seattle Times staff reporter
The philosophy of the Iron Pigs Motorcycle Club, Seattle chapter, couldn't
be more straightforward: Kicking Butt, Taking Names And Having Fun Doing It.
"In the law enforcement professions we are forced to deal with a lot of crap
on the job; we need to let off a little steam when we play," says one club
member (that didn't want to be identified) which is made up of Seattle-area
police officers and a few area-fire fighters.
But work and play collided early Saturday at a bar fight in Sturgis, home to
South Dakota's annual legendary, Mardi Gras-like motorcycle rally.
Sturgis and Seattle law enforcement are investigating how an off-duty
Seattle police officer shot a member of the Hells Angels motorcycle club
about 1 a.m. Saturday. Four other off-duty Seattle officers were at the bar
at the time of the shooting, according to a Seattle Police Department
statement.
When six members of Iron Pigs Motorcycle Club arrived at the American
Roadhouse Bar. A crowd of 500-plus was jamming to the beat of rock group
Judd Hoos.
"We could see several members of the outlaw Hells Angels Motorcycle Club
sitting out side the bar. We just made a few comments it was just some trash
talk all bikers do. We didn't won't to fight, just have some fun with them.
They just took it the wrong way." Said one member of the Iron Pigs
Motorcycle Club after the shooting.
"In the bar word were being past between the two Motorcycle Clubs. Things
stared getting real tense between the two groups of men. Then a large male
member of the Hells Angels stood up quickly, like he was going to fight. So
one of the Iron Pigs members drew a gun and fired two times hitting the
man." said one of the bar patrons Sue M. "God I was so scarred when I heard
the shots. It's amazing that only one person was shot". Added Holly D.
another bar patrons. "The Iron Pigs came in here spouting off allot of crap
to the Hells Angels and then pulled a gun to avoid a fight. I guess what the
say about cops is true. Said Tim S. bar patrons at the time of the shooting.
When a number of Hells Angels members began to congregate around the
building, said bar co-owner Dean Kinney. His employees called police just to
play it safe. "We didn't call the police because there was a fight; we
called police because we just knew that it was different. We were being
cautious," Kinney said. "We have almost no trouble at Sturgis. The people
are so happy that you just learn to recognize when things seem a little
different."Kinney said he then heard two shots fired in quick succession.
"There were probably 30 officers outside right after it happened, so the
response was almost instantaneous," Kinney said.
A Seattle police officer was detained by Sturgis authorities. All five
officers who were at the bar have been relieved of duty pending the
investigation by South Dakota authorities, according to the Seattle police
statement. Their names have not been released.
The Hells Angels member was being treated at a Sturgis-area hospital Sunday.
The hospital would not comment on the victim's condition.
Sturgis police declined to comment on Sunday but said the department would
make a statement on the shooting today.
Kinney said he had seen members of the Iron Pigs throughout the week.
"I didn't know until after the fact that their numbers are made up of police
and firefighters," he said. "They were happy-go-lucky guys. They'd been in
there throughout the rally and just seemed like normal guys that ride
motorcycles and were having a couple of beers and hanging out. We didn't
view them as any kind of outlaw motorcycle group. We had not had any trouble
with them whatsoever."
It's not clear how many Seattle officers are members of the Iron Pigs club,
which has chapters in 22 states.
When contacted Sunday, Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske said, "I am
totally clueless about the club. We're going to stay with our statement."
The Iron Pigs' Seattle chapter home page was inaccessible over the weekend,
though screen captures cached on Google showed at least six board members
with nicknames such as Stoagie, Slim Jim and Kilo.
The club's philosophy page describes the group as "the good guys, on the job
and off. We help the public." The Seattle Police Department's Web site notes
that the group delivered 198 wrapped gifts to foster children last
Christmas.
The group also appears prepared to stand up for itself. "If we are treated
in a such away that shows us disrespect, or that violates the law, we will
handle the situation in a lawful manner, keeping in mind our ultimate
priority: preserving the integrity of the Iron Pigs M/C."
Karen Gaudette: 206-515-5618 or kgau...@seattletimes.com.
Staff reporter Nancy Bartley contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company