Indo-Canadian -Somali Gang War Has Led To Nearly 20 Shootings In Surrey-Delta!
Surrey RCMP announced Tuesday that there’s a bloody turf war raging Surrey between Indo-Canadian and Somalian criminal groups that has resulted in nearly shootings in the Surrey-Delta area over recent weeks. One suspect, Arman Dhatt of Delta, has been arrested and charged with a dozen firearms and trafficking offences, but the RCMP said its investigations are being hampered by uncooperative victims and intended victims.
SURREY – RCMP and the related anti-gang forces need to nip this so-called Surrey gang turf war in the bud before someone gets killed by cracking down hard on the criminals like the Vancouver Police Department did on the city’s alleged gangsters ahead of the 2010 Olympics by arresting them at will.
Surrey RCMP announced Tuesday that there’s a bloody turf war raging Surrey between Indo-Canadian and Somalian criminal groups that has resulted in nearly shootings in the Surrey-Delta area over recent weeks.
Chief Supt. Bill Fordy said there have been 16 shootings in Surrey and three in Delta since March 9 alone, and that the majority are linked to a violent rivalry between groups of low-level drug traffickers. More shootings followed police announcement on Wednesday and are likely to continue if police do not take swift action to nab the criminals and get them off the streets.
“We believe these two groups are competing over turf and have chosen to jeopardize public safety in that process,” Fordy said in a statement. “This type of violence is completely unacceptable.”
One suspect, Arman Dhatt of Delta, has been arrested and charged with a dozen firearms and trafficking offences, but the RCMP said its investigations are being hampered by uncooperative victims and intended victims, reported CTV news.
Fordy said young men who’ve been targeted have brushed off police with a variety of lines, from “The bullets fell from the sky” to “I will take care of it myself.”
Mounties said despite the victims’ objections, authorities are determined to stop them from settling their disputes on their own.
The RCMP released the names and photos of every uncooperative target on Tuesday in the hopes that family, friends or acquaintances will come forward and help investigators.
“We are disappointed with the lack of cooperation from the victims and we know the community is frustrated as well,” Fordy said. “We need information on their whereabouts, their connections, and their activities. Any information could benefit the investigations and help prevent somebody else from being shot.”
The victims and intended victims are Adam Lakatos, Derrick Bequette, Chadanjot Gill, Sukhraj Chahal, Tirath Taggar and Charandeep Tiwana of Surrey, and Shakiel Basra and Sukhpreet Pansal of Delta.
Fordy said the RCMP is also still looking for information on men who were identified at a previous press conference: Surrey residents Sameh Mohammed, Amrit Kular, Indervir Johal and Pardeep Singh, and Delta resident Pardip Brar.
Mounties described the warring groups as being of South Asian and Somalian descent, and said authorities have reached out to elders and leaders in both communities for help curbing the violence.
The Surrey RCMP detachment has also been working with Delta police and B.C.’s gang task force, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, to tackle the problem since the first shooting was reported, Fordy said.
The two latest shootings took place on Monday, first around 2 a.m. and again around 11:30 p.m., though it doesn’t appear anyone was injured in either.
Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner, who ran a tough-on-crime platform in the last election, has been hiding on the rising crime in the city and have brushed aside the shootings as low level crime.
Fordy said this lack of co-operation is compromising their ability to make arrests.
“We are disappointed with the lack of co-operation from the victims and we know the community is frustrated as well,” he said.
“Today, I again appeal to the family, friends and those of you who know any of the people pictured here. We need information on their whereabouts, their connections and their activities.”
Surrey and North Delta shootings timeline:
March 10; 4 a.m.: 20-year-old male dropped off at hospital with gunshot injuries
March 10; 7 p.m.: Targeted shooting in Newton at 78th Ave. and 127th St.
March 10; 11 p.m.: Gunshots heard at 128th St. and 76th Ave.
March 11; 2 p.m.: Witnesses see someone shooting from a white SUV at a black car at 80th St. and 132th Ave.
March 11; midnight: Male with gunshot wounds found at the 19200-block of 80th Ave.
March 12; 3:30 a.m.: Shots fired at a residence at 94th Ave. and 126th St.
March 15; 2:30 a.m.: Shots fired again at the same residence at 94th Ave. and 126th St.
March 26; 8:40 p.m.: Two men injured in shooting near 88th Ave. and 124th St.
March 27; 4:45 p.m.: Male with gunshot wounds found at Surrey City Centre Mall
March 28; 8:40 p.m.: One man injured in shooting at the 9400 block of 125th St.
April 1; 11:40 a.m.: Witnesses see a male passenger shooting from a silver vehicle toward a black Honda near 128th St. and 64th Ave.
April 5; 6 p.m.: Shooting reported at the 1500-block of 79th Ave.
April 5; 9 p.m.: Shots fired at a home at 83rd Ave. and 110th St.
April 10; 5 a.m.: Shots fired at a residence at the 11700-block of of 96th Ave.
April 11; 7:20 p.m.: Drive-by shooting at 128th St. near 60th Ave.
April 12; 5 p.m.: Man found with gunshot wounds at the 7000 block of 130th St.
April 13; 10:30 p.m.: Gunshots reported at site of abandoned car crash near 70th Ave. and 149th St.
April 14; 1:10 a.m.: Shots fired into a vehicle at 93rd Ave. and 153th St.
