VANCOUVER -- Homicide investigators have been called to Burnaby for what they're calling a murder.
A house on Portland Street was blocked off by police tape Thursday morning, and it appeared someone may have forced their way in to the home.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said a man in his early 30s was "gunned down in his vehicle" the previous evening at 8 p.m.
Speaking at a news conference from Burnaby, Sgt. Frank Jang said the victim has been identified as 32-year-old Chris Kenworthy.
He was known to police, and his death is believed to have been targeted.
Jang asked anyone with information or video of the area at around the time of the shooting to contact IHIT.
Burnaby RCMP Chief Supt. Deanne Burleigh also spoke to media at the news conference, and offered her condolences to the family of the victim.
Officials did not say whether the man's death was tied to gang activity in the area, but Burleigh said she wanted to provide an update on police response to organized crime in the city.
"Over the last year in Burnaby we've seen over a 30 per cent increase in gang activity. There have been six stabbings, nine shootings and three gang-related homicides," she listed.
She said the detachment has formalized a gang enforcement team in the city using existing resources.
Its goal is to target criminal activity and reduce the risk to public safety, she said. Among the priorities are drug manufacturing and distribution of firearms.
She asked family and friends of young people to watch for signs of gang involvement, including being secretive, staying out late and a sudden influx of cash.
As for the most recent victim, Jang said it's too early to tell whether the shooting is connected to other incidents in the area, though investigators will look into the backgrounds of those known to be involved.
He said the last 24 hours has been a busy time for his team.
About 12 hours after the Burnaby shooting, a man and woman were shot in Surrey.
The man's injuries are not considered to be life threatening, but the woman did not survive.
So far, Jang said, there is nothing to suggest a tie to the Burnaby case.
The death in Burnaby came hours after police were called to another area of the city to investigate a stabbing with two youth victims, and after a 22-year-old man killed in Langley was publicly identified.
The youths were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and no details about suspects or a possible motive have been made public.
In a statement Wednesday night on an unrelated incident, IHIT said Arshdeep Singh was the victim of a shooting on 207 Street in Langley last week.
A second victim, a man in his 20s, was also found with gunshot wounds, but was expected to survive.
So far there is nothing to indicate the recent bouts of violence are connected to the latest homicide in Burnaby.
