Troy, New York, USA (February 19, 2020) BTN — The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club will benefit from the city’s removal of urban eyesores, as bidding has opened to knock down the derelict building on the north side of the motorcycle clubhouse property in the gritty North Central neighborhood.
The two-story wood-frame residential property at 3151 Sixth Ave. is one of eight properties in the North Central and Lansingburgh neighborhoods the city wants to raze as its wipes out buildings that are heavily damaged by fire, are deteriorating or are otherwise so unsafe that city firefighters are ordered not to enter.
The Hells Angels clubhouse at 3145 Sixth Ave. is usually a quiet place with much of its 0.27-acre parcel locked behind a fence. The three-story brick clubhouse building at the north side of the property is adjacent to the building the city wants to raze.
This is one of eight buildings the city of Troy is advertising to demolish. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union)
The city has been budgeting funds to knock down buildings to erase blight and open up parcels for redevelopment. Sometimes the properties are sold to nonprofits that aim to build on the lots.
The Troy Fire Department last year sent a list of properties it recommended be removed over safety concerns to Mayor Patrick Madden’s administration. In some cases fire damage is extensive the buildings can’t be repaired. “They just have to be taken down,” Fire Chief Eric McMahon said.
February 19, 2020 BTN — Few details of the shooting that took place on February 16, 2020 at Your Place Bar located in Midland, Texas are not being released as of today. According to several main stream news media outlets, they say the local police are still on a fact finding mission.
Scene outside the Your Place bar in Midland, Texas
One killed, three hurt in shootout between motorcycle clubs at Texas bar
Midland, Texas, USA (February 16, 2020) BTN — One person died and three others were taken to the hospital after police say they were shot in an incident between rival motorcycle clubs at a Texas bar.
According to the Midland Police Department, officers were called to Your Place bar in Midland, Texas, at 8:26 p.m. Sunday, February 6th. When police arrived at the scene, they found that four people had been shot, one fatally.
The three surviving victims were taken to the hospital. One is in critical condition, a second suffered major injuries and the third suffered only minor injuries.
No names have been released at this time.
Officers learned there had been a shootout at the bar between rival motorcycle clubs. They believe that multiple suspected club members were involved. The suspects were last seen heading westbound towards Odessa.
Police Dept. cancels news conference 30 minutes before its scheduled
Midland, Texas, USA (February 17, 2020) BTN — A City of Midland spokesperson told CBS7 Monday that the police department would not have any updates today on Sunday night's biker gang shooting.
One person was killed in the shootout between the rival clubs, according to police. The last update we got Sunday night said that two others were in critical condition and a fourth had minor injuries.
CBS7 has also learned that once the gang members arrived at the Midland Memorial Hospital emergency room, the hospital placed the ER on lock-down. We're told that's standard procedure during an incident like this.
The city says the other bikers were last seen riding West towards Odessa.
The city also scheduled a news conference late Monday morning for 4:30 p.m. to discuss the "state of biker gangs in Midland." Thirty minutes before it was supposed to begin, we were told it was canceled because they needed to do more research. The shooting happened at the Your Place bar at 3704 West Wall Street.
TABC suspends liquor license at bar where motorcycle club shooting happened
Midland, Texas, USA (February 18, 2020) BTN — The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has suspended a Midland-area bar’s liquor license for seven days following a deadly Feb. 16 shootout between rival motorcycle gangs which left one person dead and three others injured.
Your Place, 3704 West Wall Street, will remain suspended until Feb. 24 as TABC agents and Midland police investigate the scene.
The seven-day suspension, also known as a summary suspension, was requested by the Midland Police Department and was served by TABC the afternoon of Feb. 17, according to TABC Executive Director Bentley Nettles.
“The goal of the suspension is to allow TABC agents and local police the opportunity to safely investigate the scene of a deadly incident without fear of retaliation or additional violence,” Nettles said. “TABC’s investigation will seek to determine whether the bar’s actions or policies played any role in the incident. We will also examine the bar’s security policies and procedures to find out whether appropriate steps were taken to ensure guests’ safety.”
All alcohol retailers who operate under a TABC-issued license or permit are required to ensure the safety of their premises and guests. As Texas’ sole regulator of the alcoholic beverage industry, TABC’s law enforcement agents frequently investigate violent incidents which take place at licensed businesses such as bars, clubs, or liquor stores.
While Your Place will be able to resume normal operations on Feb. 24, it’s likely the investigations by TABC and the Midland Police Department will continue for several weeks.
UPDATE: Motorcycle gang shooting
Midland, Texas, USA (February 20, 2020) BTN — The motorcycle clubs involved in the shooting on Sunday, February 16, 2020, were the Bandidos and the Mongols. According to the City of Midland, the deceased victim has been identified as Alex Canales Villarreal, 45 years of age, from McAllen, Texas. Next of kin has been notified, the investigation is ongoing. SOURCE:Your Basin
New York City, New York, USA (February 13, 2020) BTN — After four decades, the infamous Hells Angels packed up their Manhattan clubhouse and relocated to the Bronx. Their presence quickly became known to residents after bullets flew into their clubhouse.
Hells Angels new clubhouse
The Jan. 2 incident raised questions about the Hells Angels' intentions on the Throgs Neck block. Windows are now boarded up at the clubhouse, and police are keeping a close eye.
"It was a little concerning. But you can't really blame them. I mean it's like blaming a victim for getting shot at. Do you blame the shooter or do you blame the victim? So, now they are getting the bad rep for something that happened to them," said a resident.
Allegations of criminal activity mark the group, but they are also known for charity with their annual toy drive during the holiday season.
News 12's investigation discovered that their clubhouse at 241 Longstreet Ave. is not the only property the club has bought after selling their longtime East Village NYC chapter headquartered in Manhattan for more than $7.7 million.
Documents obtained by News 12 reveal that the Church of the Angels Inc., which is under Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, has purchased four properties in the Bronx.
Three of those purchased properties are in Throgs Neck and were acquired in October 2019. Listed on the deed documents is the Law Offices of Edmond Pryor. He would not directly tell News 2 that he worked with the Church of the Angels Inc.
"I have no pending matters for them," said Pryor. Pryor was also a part-time employee of Bronx Councilman Mark Gjonaj, which made some residents question the councilman's involvement with the club.
The office denied any connection to News 12, saying in a statement, "This was a private transaction that had no reporting requirement to any elected official or the local community board."
Some in the neighborhood are waiting until it gets warmer to see if Hells Angels and their slew of bikes will mess or mesh with the fabric of their community.
News 12 has reached out to the Hell Angels and Community Board 10 and has not heard back.
Williston, North Dakota, USA (February 12, 2020) BTN — A felony conspiracy charge was dismissed Tuesday, Feb. 11, the day before the case was set for trial.
Prosecutors asked to have the class C felony conspiracy to commit aggravated assault charge filed against Earl Benjamin Brewer dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. In the motion to have the charge dropped, Nathan Madden, assistant state’s attorney for Williams County, cited problems with witnesses.
Brewer and a co-defendant, Michael McCreary, were accused in April 2019 of conspiracy after a man was assaulted outside his home in Williston. Police and prosecutors claimed that McCreary assaulted the man at the request of Brewer. McCreary was charged with conspiracy and aggravated assault, both class C felonies.
The request to drop the charges comes days after Madden filed a motion asking for the trials of Brewer and McCreary delayed. In the motion, Madden claimed that multiple witnesses had expressed fear about testifying against Brewer or McCreary.
“The State has been meeting with witnesses in the Brewer and McCreary cases during the week of February 3, 2020,” Madden wrote. “During this week, the State has noticed a change in the attitudes of witnesses expressing safety concerns about testifying in these matters due to threats made against them.”
The request to delay the trial is related to a new criminal charge filed Friday against McCreary. He is accused of trying to convince a witness to change her testimony in the case.
In one instance, McCreary told a witness that damaging information about her, including information about an incident involving the FBI, would become public, Madden wrote. He said he had been unable to track down the exact nature of the incident McCreary was referencing, but said the witness was not a suspect in the matter. Instead, he said, he believed it was an attempt to reveal information the witness had given to the FBI during an investigation into someone else.
Madden said the man who Brewer and McCreary are accused of conspiring to assault had also been threatened. He wrote that the man had gotten a message from a friend who said a third party had told him to relay the message that Brewer should leave the state by Feb. 9.
“Earl Brewer and Michael McCreary are known to have had connections with the Sons of Silence, which is a nationwide motorcycle ‘club,’” Madden wrote. "Given their nationwide presences, they would have sufficient assets to conduct surveillance on (the man) and determine whether he had, in fact, left the state of North Dakota.”
In a response, however, Jeff Nehring, Brewer’s defense attorney, argued Madden offered no evidence to back up his claims.
“Although Mr. Madden has set forth numerous factual allegations in his Motion for Continuance, he has not presented any evidence by way of affidavit or otherwise to support his factual allegations,” Nehring wrote. “Therefore all the allegations made by Mr. Madden should be excluded by the North Dakota Rules of Evidence.”
Nehring also questioned other claims Madden made in his request to delay the trial.
“In regards to (Brewer), Mr. Madden makes a really broad allegation that (Brewer) has nationwide assets to conduct surveillance on (the accuser),” Nehring wrote. “Where is this information coming from? Mr. Madden cites no specifics on where he based his statement upon. Once again. Mr. Madden appears to be loosely throwing around allegations without any evidence to support his assertions.”
In an interview Tuesday, Nehring told the Williston Herald that he and his client had been ready for the trial.
“Mr. Brewer was innocent of these charges,” he said.
McCreary’s trial on the conspiracy and aggravated assault charges is scheduled for March 9.
