Authorities have identified the murder victim whose body was discovered by the side of a rural road in Surrey Monday as 26-year-old Jaskaran Singh Sandhu.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said Sandhu, a Lower Mainland resident, was known to police and appears to have been the victim of a targeted attack.
Police have yet to confirm any gang connections to the crime, but are not ruling out the possibility.
“Investigators continue to search for the motive behind his killing, including the possibility of being gang-related,” Cpl. Adam MacIntosh said in a statement.
Sandhu’s next of kin have been notified.
His murder followed four others committed within a 48-hour period earlier this month in Surrey. The spate of killings prompted Mayor Dianne Watts to speak out Monday night about the inherent dangers of the criminal lifestyle.
“If you’re involved in gang and criminal activity, you put yourself at risk. When we look at the rest of Surrey and the residents, they’re law-abiding citizens, but when you engage in that type of activity these are the serious consequences,” Watts said.
Sandhu’s body was found at around 9:20 a.m. in a grassy area in the 12300-block of Colebrook Road, not far from the Delta Golf Course.
Manjot Dhillon was gunned down the evening of Jan. 13, followed by Edward McGiveron and Geordie Carlow hours later. The morning of Jan. 15, Manjinder Hairan was killed in what police believe was a gang hit.
Anyone with information on Sandhu’s killing can contact the IHIT tip line at 1-877-551-IHIT, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 if they wish to remain anonymous.
