Homicide investigation launched in Surrey after woman found dead, man seriously injured
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been deployed to Surrey’s Guildford neighbourhood, where a woman was found dead Sunday evening.
Authorities say she and another man with life-threatening injuries were discovered in an apartment building on 102A Avenue near 150th Street shortly after 6 p.m.
IHIT says it knows how the woman was killed and how the man was wounded but is not releasing those details at this time.
“Because this happened in a very isolated situation within a residence, we're not going to be releasing that information just yet,” said spokesperson Sgt. Timothy Pierotti.
“I can say that very few people would know that information and it could be beneficial to our investigation to determine if somebody, anyone who knows this would likely have had access to the building and had been in the suite.”
Pierotti says the man and woman have been identified, but would not release their names.
The gruesome discovery was first made by firefighters.
They were responding to a fire alarm and a sprinkler system that had been activated in one of the suites.
While crews were evacuating the 64-unit building, they found the woman dead and the man injured.
A neighbour, who didn’t want to be identified, said the situation escalated quickly.
“I heard sirens, then the fire engine started coming, the ambulance. Then when the police came, I said ‘This is more than what I think.’ Then water started coming down. Raining, raining in the lobby,” he told CTV News.
Police are still trying to determine whether the alarms were triggered by the violence.
News of the tragedy spread quickly among the already shaken evacuees.
They said the violence happened in a suite on the fourth floor.
Neighbours say a father lived there, and a woman, believed to be his partner, was seen in the building often.
“This fellow goes in and out. He's got about three kids, maybe 14,,12, 10,” said Michael Syvla, who’s on the building’s strata council.
Sylva says he spoke to the man a few times as he had lived there for several years.
“He was single, a single parent,” said Syvla, adding that he believes a woman moved in about a month ago.
IHIT says the pair were not immediate family and are working to determine the nature of their relationship.
It says the motive remains unclear.
“We're still keeping our options open to determine who is responsible for this, we have yet to identify one specific suspect in this investigation. But anyone with information, anyone who has knowledge of what could have transpired within this building or within this unit, particularly, if you could please contact IHIT,” said Pierotti.
He would not say if the pair were known to police, but does not believe there is an ongoing risk to the public.
All units inside the building were evacuated for about three hours.
Transit buses were brought in to shelter people until they were allowed to return to their homes.
Surrey Fire Service confirmed the alarms and sprinklers were not triggered by a fire. was no fire
Assistant Chief Greg McRobbie said six to eight units were damaged in the flooding and those residents would be unable to return for quite some time.
A restoration company could be seen working on the building Monday morning.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or email ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
'$6.66 per day': Advocacy groups disheartened by funding in budget for disability benefit
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.