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Bikers from across the globe gather in Laughlin for the 35th Annual River Run (Michael Quine and Brooke Wanser/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Thousands of bikers converge on Laughlin, Nevada for the Laughlin River Run biker rally April 27, 2007. (Gary Thompson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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By Brooke Wanser Las Vegas Review-Journal
April 29, 2017 - 7:45 am
The Laughlin River Run, known as the largest motorcycle rally in the western United States, celebrates its 35th year in the tiny Southern Nevada town this weekend.
It’s been 15 years since a brawl inside the Harrah’s casino in Laughlin led to the deaths of three men, but the event still resonates within the biker community.
In the early hours of April 27, 2002, a fight broke out between rival biker gangs the Mongols and the Hells Angels. Two men were shot, and another was stabbed to death.
In the immediate aftermath, law enforcement officials beefed up security, instituting a no-colors policy to discourage bikers from affiliating with gangs.
Years later, several members of each gang went to prison, and Harrah’s of Laughlin was sued; the hotel-casino reached a settlement with five bystanders who received injuries during the fight.
Today, some bikers say the event is less exciting than in years past; some say it’s more peaceful. But all said they still enjoy the same camaraderie and sense of community that brought them to the River Run in the first place.
Contact Brooke Wanser at bwanser@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Bwanser_LVRJ on Twitter.
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