Homicide investigators have identified the victim of a Friday night shooting in the parking lot of a Sikh temple in Richmond.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says 42-year-old Edwin Shek-Yin Cheng, of Richmond, was killed in the incident.
Cheng was known to police, IHIT said in a release, but it’s unclear why he was in the parking lot of the temple.
“At this time there appears to be no connection between the Sikh temple and the location of the murder,” said IHIT media relations officer Sgt. Stephanie Ashton. “We have no reason to believe the public is at further risk as a result of this targeted incident.”
A man by the same name as Cheng was charged in connection with credit card fraud four years ago and had also been found guilty of credit-card-related charges in the past.
Ashton said she could not confirm exactly how Cheng was known to police.
“What we have to do is do a full analysis of all the investigations associated to him,” she said. “Once we know that, we may be able to say more about what his connection is.”
Richmond RCMP were called to the Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple on Westminster Highway just before 9:30 p.m. for reports of shots fired.
When they arrived, they found Cheng in a vehicle. A Range Rover could be seen in the parking lot with several bullet holes in the window.
Cheng had been shot and was already deceased when police arrived, IHIT said.
IHIT was called in to investigate and is now focused on speaking with the multiple witnesses who were in the area at the time of the shooting.
There were between 50 and 100 worshippers inside the Temple at the time, according to police.
Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to call the IHIT tipline at 877-551-4448 or to email ihittipline@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
