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ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this Friday, Sept. 23, 2011 photo, officers keep an eye on handcuffed men at the east entrance to John Ascuaga's Nugget after a shooting in Sparks, Nev. One person has been killed and two others wounded in a shooting at a hotel-casino in Sparks that witnesses say involved members of rival motorcycle gangs, the Vagos and Hells Angels. (AP Photo/The Reno Gazette-Journal, ) NEVADA APPEAL OUT; NO SALES; MAGS OUT
SPARKS, Nev. >> Police in Nevada say the man killed in a gun battle between two rival motorcycle gangs at a hotel-casino in Sparks was the president of the San Jose chapter of the Hells Angels.
Deputy Sparks Police Chief Brian Allen says Jeffrey Pettigrew died in the shootout with members of the Vagos club at John Ascuaga’s Nugget about 11:30 p.m Friday.
Two Vagos members were wounded but are in stable condition at a Reno hospital.
Sparks Mayor Geno Martini says a drive-by shooting Saturday morning apparently was a retaliatory attack. It prompted him to cancel Sparks’ share of a big biker festival the rest of the weekend.
He also declared a formal state of emergency in the city that he says will help speed state assistance if there’s any more trouble.
