Hell’s Angel gunned down; police fear gang war brewing

[Drew27k9]

Hell’s Angel gunned down; police fear gang war brewing

By Thomas J. Gibbons Jr.

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER


A motorist wearing Hell's Angels motorcycle gang colors was fatally wounded early this morning in a barrage of gunfire as he drove on a street paralleling the westbound lanes of the Schuylkill Expressway in South Philadelphia, police said.

The victim, identified as Thomas Woods, 36, was shot in the head and perhaps elsewhere as he sat behind the wheel of a gray GMC pickup headed in the direction of Center City. The truck then crashed into the fence of a used car lot near Vare Avenue and New Hope Street.

When police arrived on the scene in response to a radio call at 1:40 a.m. reporting gunshots, they found that a man on a Harley Davidson motorcycle had pulled the lone occupant from the truck out of the vehicle and was performing CPR on him.

Woods was rushed by paramedics to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead.

The victim's family was at the Medical Examiner's Office this morning to identify the body and to receive grief counseling.

In the period after the victim arrived for emergency treatment, a large contingent of Hell's Angels arrived at the hospital, police said.

While investigators had no suspect in custody or immediate motive for the shooting, tensions have been high between members of the Hell's Angels and their rival in the area, the Pagans motorcycle club, police said. That investigative avenue will be pursued, according to detectives.

The cyclist who stopped to perform CPR was being interviewed this morning at the Homicide Unit in Police Headquarters.

Police said a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol was found in a pool of blood near the gas pedal on the floor of the truck, leading investigators to believe it belonged to the driver. They also found a spent .380 caliber bullet casing near the scene, a possible indication that the driver may have returned fire.

Investigators said they will examine the gun. The victim's hands will be tested for gunfire residue.

The police Expressway Patrol closed the westbound lanes of the expressway between Passyunk Avenue and University Avenue during the early morning hours as Crime Lab investigators conducted a walking search of the roadway.

Police were following up on a report that members of the Hell's Angels had gathered Thursday night to party at a nighspot in South Philadelphia. Investigators said they were concerned that if the slaying is linked to biker violence, retaliatory violence could occur.

A State Police message this morning described Woods as a known member of the Hell's Angels. It alerted officers that the gunman may have been in a white Chevrolet SUV bearing a Pennsylvania license plate. The message warned officers to use "extreme caution" if the vehicle is stopped because the occupants are "likely armed."


http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/10645947.htm

[Signal4]

Silence breeds speculation. Maybe he offed himself.

[CTDL92]

The deceased was the acting president of the Philli chapter of the Hells Angels

[scott715us]

Are the Pagans big enough to contend with the Angels?

[chewy]

Oh, that poor poor man, getting shot like that. :D


Put them in a non-populated area and let them off each other.

[CTDL92]

Are the Pagans big enough to contend with the Angels?

In PA they are. I think we have more Pagans than Angels.

[Babysmamadrama]

Oh, that poor poor man, getting shot like that. :D


Put them in a non-populated area and let them off each other.

Hooahh, that's what I am talking about.

Designate a battle ground away from the population, give the states blessing that the two aggrieved parties may battle there for dominance without fear of law enforcement retaliation, let them bring what ever weapons they desire and put it on PPV. It would be like UnReal Tourniment or something similiar. Then when the smoke clears, let the members of RP who so desire, to claim the dropped weapons. Hear me, Norm? :D

Then a mass grave, bulldoze it, grade it real good and invite the Crips and Bloods to get it on.

I would be interested to see how many would show up to do this.

Hey, if they want to act like marauding bands of old, then provide them with battlefield.

[massgrunt]

This was going on in my neck of the woods between Angels and Outlaws a few years back. I think it ended in a stalemate, they're both still here, and there haven't been any public incidents in a while.

[Babysmamadrama]

Ah,but you see, gang members are cowards. They can only hit from behind after sneaking up on someone or jump somebody if they have them outnumbered five or six to one.

Very true.

Oh, well. One could only hope they collectively grow a set. I personally would love to see them settle any and all differences in a Braveheart-esque battle with much dismembering and lamentation of the women. ARRRR!

[Starflyer525i]

Perhaps someone should turn CA COP's ride-along buddy loose on 'em.

http://forums.realpolice.net/showthread.php?t=26504

[REDDEVIL]

Why can the police take them out from where they meet?
I remember years ago in the Lower East Side Manhattan ESU and lots of police officers try to take them out but nothing happened. They are still in the same location.

[MOCOP]

Dead scumbags. What a loss.

[retdetsgt]

I did some search warrants on the two major bike gangs here some years ago, the Gypsy Jokers (who are aligned with the H.A.'s) and the Outsiders. I got the notes from the minutes of their meetings. They were hilarious.

If you got minutes from a meeting consisting of 12 year old boys, it would be about the same. For a bunch of anarchists, they sure have a lot of bullshit rules and petty fines for breaking them. These are really people with marginal living skills.

[cntryboy0531]

I agree. Toss them out in the middle of the Nevada Desert and let them just go to town on each other. Let them drag whatever weapons they want to the field with them. Maybe even get somone to play Dueling Banjo's in the background. It would be a nice sound backdrop to the gun fire. :D

I'd pay to watch it. :D

[Babysmamadrama]

I did some search warrants on the two major bike gangs here some years ago, the Gypsy Jokers (who are aligned with the H.A.'s) and the Outsiders. I got the notes from the minutes of their meetings. They were hilarious.

If you got minutes from a meeting consisting of 12 year old boys, it would be about the same. For a bunch of anarchists, they sure have a lot of bullshit rules and petty fines for breaking them. These are really people with marginal living skills.

Can you share those minutes for our collective amusement?