Police and politicians are pledging an end to the violence that’s plagued Surrey in recent weeks after the 22-year-old nephew of NDP MLA Harry Bains was shot to death over the weekend.

Arun Paul Singh Bains was gunned down just before 3 a.m. Sunday near 126 Street and 88 Avenue, bringing the total number of shootings committed in Surrey and Delta since March 9 to a staggering 22.

Bains’ shooting was the first of those to prove fatal, however.

On Monday, Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner appeared at a press conference with top local law enforcement to denounce the rash of violence and offer condolences to Bains’ family.

“It is difficult whenever someone is taken from us prematurely, but it is especially difficult when a young life is involved,” Hepner said.

“This has to stop before any more lives are lost. I am imploring those who have been involved in these shootings to take a sober look at the grim reality of your actions. While you may have been fortunate to escape any serious injury to date, what happened yesterday is a fate that can easily befall you.”

Harry Bains, who represents the riding of Surrey-Newton, said he’s not commenting on his nephew’s death Monday.

At least half of the recent shootings in Surrey and Delta have been linked to a bloody turf war between two groups of low-level drug dealers, said to be of South Asian and Somalian descent.

Mounties haven’t confirmed whether Bains’ shooting is tied to those, but said he was known to associate with the people involved.

Investigators also said they’re concerned about the possibility for retaliation.

“To the people who are involved in these shootings, I remind you that you can make an individual choice to stop the violence,” Chief Supt. Bill Fordy of the Surrey RCMP said.

“Residents and children do not deserve to live in fear. The choices that you are making today could easily result in your own death, or that of an innocent person in the community that is not connected to this conflict.”

Earlier this month, the RCMP released a list of names and photos of some of the people involved in hopes their loved ones will come forward and aid in their investigation.

Asst. Commissioner Dan Malo of the RCMP Lower Mainland District said authorities learned valuable lessons from a previous spike in local violence in 2007 and 2008, particularly about the benefit of partnering with community leaders and non-government organizations to help apply pressure to people involved in the drug trade.

“There is a plan. We are actioning that plan and I’m confident once again, as history shows, that our plan will be successful,” he said.

Several people died during that wave of violence, while others were arrested and convicted – an outcome Malo chalked up, in part, to key individuals deciding to cooperate with police.

“They cooperated with police and they cooperated with their community. I anticipate the exact same thing will occur,” he said. “We’re attacking the issue in the same way. We need to break that culture, we need to break that behaviour.”

Though investigators probing the latest shootings have encountered many witnesses, drug associates and even victims who have refused to deal with law enforcement, Malo said he’s confident the tide will turn.

Mayor Hepner also promised that any additional resources police need to combat the violence will be provided.

Surrey RCMP, the Delta Police Department and the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit are all working together to investigate the shootings, while the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is leading the probe into Bains’ death.

Anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information on Bains’ actions before his slaying is asked to contact the IHIT tip line at 1-877-551-4448. Mounties have also set up a general 24-hour tip line for information on the Surrey and Delta shootings at 604-915-6566.

Map of Surrey shootings from March 9-April 19