Disputes between Pagans, Outlaws preceded deadly clubhouse shooting, police say

NEWTON, N.C. — Investigators in Catawba County are looking into a rival motorcycle club called The Pagans after a deadly shootout at an Outlaws Motorcycle Club clubhouse last weekend.

Channel 9’s Dave Faherty learned from law enforcement that there have been issues between the two groups. In the minutes after the shooting, dispatchers alerted police in the area that a rival motorcycle club may be involved.

“Use extreme caution when interacting with the vehicle … possibly conducted by rival motorcycle club the Pagans,” a dispatcher could be heard saying on a police radio after the shooting.

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At the Outlaws clubhouse on Wednesday, we could see where some of the gunfire struck the metal fencing around the building. Since the shooting, neighbors and businesses have been on edge.

“It makes me feel a little uneasy because I do have children and we do live nearby; other than that, it’s just scary out in the world today,” said Amelia Pinkerton, a barber at Flips Barbershop down the street.

Police also confirmed to Channel 9 that prior to this weekend’s shooting, a member of the Pagans was shot while riding by the Outlaws clubhouse in November. Last month, witnesses say a member of a biker group fired into a pickup truck, causing a crash on Highway 321 near Hudson.

Viewers also shared a video of a raid at the Pagans clubhouse in Lenoir from 2023 after police say members got into a fight at a nearby restaurant.

But we found out that investigating any cases involving the biker groups is difficult.

“One of those tough challenges for us is getting cooperation. Nobody really wants to talk about it from those individual organizations,” said Newton Police Chief Vidal Sipes.

In the most recent shooting, Jordon Cassell was killed. Police say he was a member of the Outlaws. Investigators confirmed someone at the clubhouse did fire back from the roof, where investigators recovered shell casings.

Neighbors hope the violence ends soon.

“It’s kinda crazy, it’s weird. I knew the motorcycle clubs were out there, but I didn’t know that anything actually happened there,” said Erica Street, a neighbor.

We could get the 911 calls from the incident as early as Thursday.

So far, nobody has been charged in connection with the shooting.

(ARCHIVE VIDEO: Neighbors Describe Federal Raids, Outlaws Members)