Surrey residents are becoming increasingly concerned as the epidemic of gun violence in the city continues – and an expansion of the police force doesn’t seem to be making a difference.
The latest gunfire to rock the city erupted just after midnight on Friday in the Panorama Ridge area. Witnesses told CTV News they woke up to the sound of six or seven gunshots.
“[There were] a bunch of gunshots, and then a helicopter maybe 20 minutes afterwards,” said Jen, who has four young children. “I don’t like it at all. I want to move.”
No one was injured, but it’s another blow for a city trying to shake its reputation for crime. There have been at least 15 shootings or shots fired calls in Surrey so far in 2016, which equals more than one a week.
“It’s almost beyond embarrassing now,” said Doug Elford, of the Newton Community Association. “We thought last year was a bad year, but it seems like this year's even worse. We're really concerned for the safety of the people in our community.”
One hundred RCMP officers were promised to Surrey last year, and the city confirmed 90 of them have arrived and are working.
Surrey’s acting mayor Vera LeFranc says the last 10 members have been identified and should be on the ground in the next few weeks.
“The mayor and council have given this a highest and most urgent priority,” LeFranc said. “I can tell you right now we are extremely concerned.”
Equally concerned are the people living in neighbourhoods affected by gun violence. Some residents are calling for even more officers, saying they want to see a bigger police presence on the streets.
“We live in a nice neigbourhood so you assume you’re safe,” said Ben Campbell of the West Panorama Ridge Ratepayers Association.
“But then someone can drive by and take shots at someone else – and someone gets killed.”
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Michele Brunoro
