The Mongols and Iron Order are two motorcycle clubs making headlines after a gun fight broke out at a busy Denver Motorcycle Expo.
CU Boulder Professor David Pyrooz is a faculty associate at the Institute of Behavioral Science and has expertise on motorcycle gangs. He says conflicts over territory aren’t uncommon between clubs.
“Even seemingly minor incidents of disrespect or calling out a person can result in very tragic events,“said CU Boulder Professor, Pyrooz.
Pyrooz also says tensions might have been brewing between the two.
The Mongols referee to themselves as an elite club, but Pyrooz says typically one percenters are associated with criminal activity. He also says Iron Order a group that has a large law enforcement members has had problems with the one percenters.
“ Iron Order are an up and coming motorcycle group that had some conflicts in the past with more the established outlaw motorcycle and the one percenter motorcycle groups across the country,” said Pyrooz
Arrests by police have yet to be made as they are still interviewing witnesses. Pyrooz says that could take weeks because of how these clubs typically operate.
“These are groups tend to be very secretive, they take an oath for secrecy,” said Pyrooz.
