Police give update on weekend Coquitlam Centre shooting

Mounties are urging anyone with information or video of Sunday’s shooting outside the Coquitlam Centre Cactus Club – or a car found on fire soon after – to come forward.

In an update Tuesday, Cpl. Alexa Hodgins said an on-fire silver Chrysler 200 was found at 180th Street and Golden Ears Way in Surrey around 12:15 a.m. Monday, about 20 minutes after the shooting.

Police believe the two incidents are linked, she added.

Hodgins also said investigators think “at least” two suspects are involved in the shooting, neither of which has been arrested.

On Sunday, police were called to a parking lot at Barnet Highway and Pinetree Way at 11:56 p.m., where they found a man and a woman suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle.

Both victims are still in the hospital, Hodgins said Tuesday.

Mounties said the shooting is targeted, but there is no word on a motive.

Last weekend’s shooting was the fourth in Coquitlam so far in 2024, and the recent string of violence “raises the temperature” for the public, acting Officer in Charge Insp. Darren Carr said at Tuesday’s media conference.

The first three shootings happened in quick succession – on January 4, 5 and 6. Carr said police assume those three incidents are linked, but the most recent shooting is not.

He said he understands the community’s concern surrounding the uptick in shootings in very central areas, saying the Coquitlam detachment has brought in resources from the RCMP’s anti-gang unit and homicide team to “properly investigate,” and there will be an increased police presence in central Coquitlam going forward.

“I think as we all know within the Lower Mainland and within the province, there are those amongst us that for one reason or another, probably related to organized crime, take it upon themselves to resort to extreme violence. In that regard, Coquitlam is no different than any other major city in the Lower Mainland,” Carr said.

“It's incredibly concerning that while these individuals are targeting one another, my fear, and it has happened in the past, is that an innocent member of the public will get caught in the crossfire, which is why we absolutely take it seriously. We'll be investigating diligently.”

Police are urging anyone with information or dash cam video to call 604-945-1550.