B.C. filmmaker killed during altercation with neighbour, RCMP say
Local filmmaker Manbir "Mani" Amar has been identified as the man killed during an alleged altercation between neighbours in Surrey, B.C., earlier this week.
The 40-year-old grew up on Vancouver Island, and went on to direct a number of documentaries, including "A Warrior's Religion," which focused on gang violence within the South Asian community.
Another of his films, "The Decrepit," told the stories of several residents of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside through their own words.
When he spoke to CTV News in 2011, while working on his self-financed film "Footsteps into Gangland," Amar described how the focus of his work had cost him his sense of security.
"I believe in my heart that I'm doing it for the right reasons. I wouldn't be putting myself in debt, putting my life on the line, if I wasn't, if I was just doing it for notoriety," he said.
Kal Dosanjh, a police detective and founder of the KidsPlay Foundation, described Amar's death as a "significant loss” for the community.
"Mani was a caring individual, who had gone to extraordinary lengths to keep youth away from a life of drugs, gangs and crime. Rest In Peace my friend," Dosanjh wrote on Twitter Thursday.
Surrey RCMP officers found Amar in medical distress after responding to a report of a physical altercation in the city's Newton neighbourhood Wednesday afternoon.
He died shortly after, despite the efforts of emergency responders to provide first aid.
Authorities have not provided any details about the nature of the altercation, but the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team described it as an "isolated incident."
"Tragically this situation escalated to a point where a life was taken," IHIT Sgt. Timothy Pierotti said in a news release.
Officers arrested a suspect at the scene, and said the individual remained in custody as of Thursday afternoon. Charges have yet to be laid.
Authorities asked anyone who witnessed the altercation or has information for investigators to call the IHIT tip line at 1-877-551-4448 or email ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.