BATTLE CREEK, Mich.—One day after a fight between two motorcycle clubs in Battle Creek, the Avengers and the Outlaws, one of their clubhouses caught on fire. As of Sunday night, Battle Creek Police and Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department are investigating it as a case of retaliation.
Battle Creek Police said they were called, along with the Battle Creek Fire Department, to the Avenger’s Club House in the 800 block of West Michigan Avenue at 2 a.m. on Sunday. They said a firebomb was thrown at the back of the building.
Police and residents said there’s no need for feuding violence to take place in their neighborhoods. Police think the fire was all part of a plan for revenge.
“It appears the fire started by some liquid flammable stuff that may have started from outside the garage area,” said Major Austin Simons.
FOX 17 News tried to talk to the Avengers about the feud, but they declined.
“We had an incident happen Friday night,” said Simons. "It was some type of party, and we had a biker club fighting."
The fight involved bats and pipes at the Outlaws Clubhouse.
“Sometimes biker clubs get into incidents and it jumps off into a fight,” said Simons.
Investigators haven't said what sparked that argument, but shortly after the fight, Battle Creek Police say they made a traffic stop. Members of the Avengers were inside the vehicle, and police found knives, marijuana, two shotguns, and six handguns. The club members in the vehicle are now facing charges of possession and carrying concealed weapons.
“Just stay alert and report any unusual activity,” warned Rick Seelenbinder, who lives across the street from the Avengers clubhouse. Seelenbinder loves to ride his own motorcycle, but he says there's no need to join anyone's crew.
“I just ride for myself for fun.”
Seelenbinder says fire trucks woke him up early Sunday morning. “I actually didn't know there was a fire over there. I didn't really know what was happening,” he said.
Police are still trying to figure out how the feud began and hope to bring these dangerous retaliations to a stop.
There were no reported injuries from the fire.
