NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – Carlos Castillo's friend Jesus "Jessie" Rodriguez was killed in Sunday's Waco biker brawl and there's something he wants the world to know.
"They're putting a bad name with Jessie, that he was a Bandido and a gangster. But he is a good-hearted guy, a lovable father and grandfather, and a good friend," Castillo said. "He didn't carry a weapon. He wasn't a violent person."
Castillo welled with emotion while talking about the death of Rodriguez, whose road name was Mohawk.
"He walked into a bad situation. He was there at the wrong time. He was walking into the parking lot, he was just getting there, and that's when everything broke loose there," he explained.
Castillo was president of the Talons Riding Club, to which Rodriguez and his wife Mary used to belong.
"That is a mom-and-pop club. We had women and it's a family-type riding club," Castillo said.
He said some non-bikers think some bikers are Bandidos because they have stickers and patches that say "Support Your Local Bandidos" on their vests and motorcycles.
"We wear 'Support Bandidos' because they do events like we do, fundraisers," Castillo said.
Castillo said biker clubs that support each other's charitable fundraisers often trade patches and stickers.
"We did so many things out in the community. Always things for the veterans because that's what was in Jessie's heart. We did toy runs at Christmas for the unfortunate kids that didn't have a good Christmas," Castillo said.
The flowers sitting on Rodriguez's bike in front of his home are red, white and blue, which is fitting because he was a veteran. He was in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years and was injured in Vietnam, receiving the Purple Heart.
Rodriguez's wife was still too upset to talk on camera, but said her husband of 40 years leaves behind seven children, 19 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.