VANCOUVER – A South Asian man out on parole from a manslaughter charged was gunned down in East Vancouver Monday night.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire on Seaforth Drive near Rupert Street around 9 p.m. Emergency crews arrived to find the body of 20-year-old Samir Mokhtar, a young man who was known to police.
“He was on bail at the time on a charge of manslaughter, so he is someone we were familiar with,” VPD Const. Brian Montague said.
Mokhtar was accused in the killing of 20-year-old Aladdin Ramadan, who was gunned down in Burnaby last September. Police believe the shooting was connected to the drug trade, reported CTV news.
Now, investigators are trying to determine whether Monday’s murder, which marked the 10th in Vancouver since the start of the year, was any kind of retaliation.
Police have already said they believe the shooting was targeted.
Mokhtar was on bail when he was killed, and living under court conditions requiring that he live at his father’s home on Seaforth and be home by 10 p.m.
He was close by the residence when he was killed; relatives were seen crying outside in the aftermath.
Few details of the shooting have been confirmed, but neighbours told CTV News they heard several shots ring out.
“I heard about six gunshots and I was just sitting in my living room,” Kevin Haakstad said.
Another witness said she saw a man with a black hood over his head running away from the scene.
Investigators are asking any potential witnesses who haven’t spoken with police to come forward, including a group of people in nearby Falaise Park who were seen fleeing the area after the shots were fired.
Police believe they may have witnesses a suspect running to or from the murder, and have valuable information for the case.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Vancouver Police Department at 604-717-2500.
