Gun Battle Outside Canadian Casino
In a scene reminiscent of the Wild West, a shooting took place outside the Lake City Kelowna Casino in British Columbia this week, killing the oldest of three alleged gangster brothers, 30 year old Jonathan Bacon.
The police say that Bacon was a member of the Red Scorpions Gang, and that his murder could lead to a full scale retaliation war with rival gangs in the area.
At around 2.30 pm, police responded to a shooting at the Lake City Casino and six people were subsequently taken to hospital, including Bacon and a Hells Angel member, Larry Amero. Bacon later died of his wounds.
It has been suggested that the two gangs were meeting in the area when the shooting took place.
Witnesses told the media that men wearing face masks and dressed all in black opened fire on a vehicle parked near the casino. They shot with automatic weapons. The shooters left in a SUV which was found smouldering a few hours after the shooting.
Bacon Brothers Carry Notorious Reputation
The three Bacon brothers are notoriously known for their involvement in gang-related crime. They are all members of the Red Scorpions, a gang which has been linked to some of the deadliest crimes in the region.
The gang is believed to be behind the infamous Surrey Six shootings, when six men were killed in a Surrey apartment in 2007. Jamie Bacon, one of the brothers, was arrested in connection with the shootings and is currently awaiting trial for first-degree murder.
Jonathan Bacon, the man killed in this week's attack, was also due to stand trial for drug and weapon charges.
The Daily Mail has said that the Bacons are ringleaders of the Red Scorpions and the gang is waged in a constant battle with another, the United Nations for control of the drug trade in British Columbia. The Bacon brothers were once members of the United Nations, and later 'crossed over' to join the rival gang.
"It's not going to blow over," said one gang expert. "Given who was targeted, and given the size of the Red Scorpions and their crew, combined with the fact it was a full patch member of the Hells Angels who got hit."
