SURREY – A late-night shooting that sent one man to hospital with gunshot wounds is linked to a well known Indo-Canadian land developer in Surrey Wednesday night. The shooting sent the man to hospital with a gunshot wound to the upper body.
While the RCMP stated that a 30-year-old man was rushed to hospital shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday night after he was shot inside the garage of a home in the 8200-block of 150th Street, sources tell the LINK that the person shot is related to the former land developer and businessman who used to be the toast of the town, being front and centre at Hindi musical and Bollywood shows, but who has fallen on hard times lately.
Police say the victim was socializing with two neighbours when a masked gunman approached them, opening fire. Sources have told the LINK that the victim is lucky to be alive as the gunman started shooting from close range, about six feet away, running and firing directly at the people.
“The approaching male immediately discharged several gunshots at the group, striking the victim in the abdomen area,” an RCMP spokesperson said.
Police have identified the victim but have not released his name.
Grainger said the three men are co-operating with the police. The victim and his two friends have no gang associations and no past dealings with local police.
He added any motive, whether it was targeted, or even a case of mistaken identity, is yet to be determined.
“We know as these investigations unfold, there’s typically a reason, and they are typically targeted,” Grainger said. “(However), mistaken identity is certainly a possibility.”
When officers arrived they found one man, who had been shot in the lower abdomen, lying in the garage of a home. Two other men who were with the victim were not injured, Surrey RCMP spokesman Cpl. Drew Grainger said.
Grainger said the victim lived in another house in the neighbourhood and had been in the garage, chatting with the other two men and admiring a new bike one of them had just bought.
“They were just in the garage socializing,” Grainger said. “Unbeknownst to them, a male entered the garage and shot one man.
“It’s a little weird.”
The victim was rushed to Royal Columbian Hospital with serious injuries. He is expected to recover.
Mounties are now searching for the suspect, who fled on foot, but the sound of squealing tires was heard shortly after. He is described as 5-6 tall, and was wearing a black mask and black hooded sweatshirt.
The case is being investigated by the detachment’s major crimes section.
Neighbours in the area told the Surrey Leader it’s great during the day, but the women say they wouldn’t hazard walking through it at night.
Central to the neighbourhood’s problem is continuous drug dealing they say is going on in Morningside Park, which is right across the street from the shooting.
Another woman told the Leader the area is rife with marijuana grow operations, which invite a criminal element.
They have called police about both issues, but say that nothing seems to have been able to shut down either problem.
This was the second shooting in Surrey. On Monday night, one man with gang links was injured in a targeted shooting outside the Mirage nightclub on 102A Avenue.
The Surrey RCMP urge anyone with information to contact the Major Crime Unit at 604-599-0502 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS to remain anonymous.
