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Monday 3rd September 1984:
Seven people are dead and 20 injured after a motorcycle enthusiasts' picnic went horribly wrong in Sydney's south-west yesterday. The recreation day, organised by the British Motorcycle Riders Club at the Viking Tavern in Milperra, broke out into a wild brawl just before 2.00pm. More than 30 men were arrested and police have already questioned over 500 witnesses in what is being described as 'the Milperra massacre'. Although no charges have been laid, many are expected in the immediate future.
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The Tavern's carpark exploded into violence when two bikie gangs, the Comancheros and the Bandidos, arrived there at around 2.00pm The previously peaceful meeting turned into chaos as two shots rang out.
The crowd, including families with young children,scattered. 'People took off in all directions. As I ran I was worried I was going to get a bullet in the back.' said one of the British Motorcycle Association members.
The event had been organised to coincide with Father's Day and was widely advertised. It was a regular motorcyclists' function--a swap meet-- where enthusiasts gather to exchange motorcycle parts andsocialise. The organisers had planned a barbecue and hired a band to provide entertainment. The day had a family atmosphere.
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| trapped witnesses say the shootout lasted 15 minutes |
An estimated 30 shots were fired in the first 10 minutes and people hid wherever they could to avoid the crossfire.
Witnesses say the shootout lasted 15 minutes and the gangs trapped 40 bystanders inside one of the tavern bars as they fought it out.
One of the dead was a 14-year-old girl--all others slain were men. Fourteen ambulances attended the scene and armed security guards have been placed on hospital wards.
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Mr Wes Graham, 23, who was on the hotel porch when the bloodbath began, saw one man shot in the head. 'I saw another guy shoot someone in the guts, and he just keeled overand then the girl was shot. She wasn't even doing anything.' he said.
The police response was quick and decisive. One hundred officers were at the scene, including members of the crack Tactical response Group and the Special Weapons and Operations Team. The poice could not stop the killings which had happened so quickly but were there to diffuse violent outbreaks during the afternoon as people were detained for questioning.
Members of the bikie fraternity believe that yesterday's massacre was planned. The two gangs, the Comancheros and the Bandidos, split up 18 months ago and had been fueding ever since. 'Reports so far suggest that these blokes had decided beforehand to sort themselves out at Milperra,' said Mr Ross Goodman, President of the NSW Motorcycle Riders' Association.
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