A shooting in Abbotsford that left an 18-year-old dead and two victims in hospital is believed to be linked to ongoing gang violence in the area, homicide investigators say.

Responding to several 911 calls, local police were called to the area of Huntingdon and Gladwin roads at approximately 6 p.m. Thursday. On arrival, they discovered an injured man inside a parked vehicle.

The victim, 18-year-old Sehajdeep Sidhu, died at the scene, officers said.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team took the lead in the case, and said Friday that two other people were also shot. IHIT has provided few details on the other victims, but said that one was an adult and the other was 17.

Both were associates of Sidhu, were not at the scene when first responders arrived, and are expected to survive.

"These are young people in the crossfires, and it's just a reminder that people in the lifestyle, they are in harm's way and they need to get out of that lifestyle," IHIT Cpl. Frank Jang said at a news conference Friday.

"Anyone associated to people in this conflict could be in danger."

Sidhu was known to police, IHIT said, but he did not have a criminal record. Police believe Sidhu's shooting was targeted, and is linked to other gang violence in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.

"A family, friends are left grieving for him regardless of whether he was involved in the drug trade or had any type of criminal associations. I mean, this is an 18-year-old young man who lost his life," Jang said.

"As a homicide investigator, I'm still going to do my best, as well as the rest of IHIT, to determine exactly what happened to Mr. Sidhu."

A suspect vehicle, believed to be a black Nissan Pathfinder, was seen fleeing the area at the time.

Officials found an SUV burning near 60th Avenue and Jackman Road about 30 minutes after the shooting. The fire billowed thick black smoke in the air and was followed by a massive explosion. It also ignited the grass before fire crews arrived to extinguish it.

No driver or passengers from the SUV could be seen nearby. An Audi with bullet holes in it was also found abandoned.

Police called the dinner-time shooting "brazen," and said that those involved showed a "blatant disregard for the safety of the public."

Investigators are working to determine what happened leading up to the shooting, including whether Sidhu's death is linked to any other cases in the area. Jang said they do believe it's connected with other shootings, but did not specify which incidents it might be linked to.

He said it was too early in the investigation to say whether there was any link to a double fatal shooting about 12 hours later in Langley.

Investigators are speaking with persons of interest in the case, but are looking for members of the public to come forward .

IHIT asks anyone with more information to contact the team at 1-877-551-4448 (IHIT) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. Tips can also be left anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Just hours after the Abbotsford shooting, IHIT was also called to Langley after a man and woman were killed. That incident is also believed to have been targeted.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Ben Miljure and Breanna Karstens-Smith