Two young men were killed after a drive-by shooting in Surrey Friday night, and police believe the incident is independent from other recent acts of violence around Metro Vancouver.
Surrey RCMP responded to calls of shots fired at about 7:20 p.m. at 110th Avenue and 159th Street in the Fraser Heights area. One victim died at the scene and the other was taken to hospital, then died from his injuries.
“It is early in the investigation, but police are making every effort to establish the motive for the shooting. We ask that the public exercise vigilance, while we work to find justice for our victims and their families,” said Integrated Homicide Investigation Team Cpl. Meghan Foster in a release.
The victims have been identified as 24-year-old Vikram Toor and 19-year-old Ashim Raza.
“Obviously it’s concerning for the citizenry, and the neighbourhood, and the police that we have somebody out there so brazen to take somebody’s life,” said Insp. Keith Bramhill, a Regional Duty Officer with the Lower Mainland District RCMP.
One neighbour told CTV News violence has been escalating in the area.
“We only live half a block away from here, our kids go to school here,” she said. “We thought we’d moved 16 years ago to a very nice neighbourhood, and a couple of years ago a man was killed right there.”
The area around the shooting will remain closed as IHIT, Surrey RCMP, the Integrated Forensic Identification Section, and the BC Coroner’s Service investigate.
Bouquets of flowers were placed at the scene of the shooting on Saturday.
More than 50 shootings have occurred in Surrey this year.
Anyone with information is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-4448, or by email at ihittipline@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Penny Daflos
