Man with gang ties fatally shot outside Abbotsford mall

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has confirmed 25-year-old Amritpal Saran was shot and killed in Abbotsford Saturday night.

"His history with gang activity in the Lower Mainland is very well documented and at this point we're trying to determine if his background, his involvement with gangs, had anything to do with this shooting,” said Sgt. Timothy Pierotti with IHIT.

A heavy police presence was seen outside the Best Buy at Sevenoaks Shopping Centre in Abbotsford Saturday evening.

Police say they were called just before 6 p.m. to find a 25-year-old man suffering from “serious and life-threatening” gunshot wounds.

Officers quickly provided first aid, but the victim died from his injuries.

"This incident had no regard of public safety. This person who decided to open fire in a busy parking lot, was fortunate that they didn't strike anyone else,” said Pierotti.

Hans Klassen was going to the parking lot to get his vehicle when he heard screaming.

“I heard a female screaming and yelling, ‘please, please, please,’ and it went on for five minutes or so,” he said.

“(Abbotsford) has a really good reputation over the years to be very a safe city and now to see this, it’s disheartening.”

Two vehicles with bullet holes were spotted in the parking lot, which was taped off by police.

Shortly after the shooting, a report came in about a vehicle fire about 12 kilometres away, in the 2900 block of Townshipline Road. “IHIT investigators are working with AbbyPD forensic experts to determine any connection between the two scenes,” IHIT wrote in a Sunday news release.

On Sunday, police tape remains up blocking the parking lot as investigators work to determine what happened.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage is asked to call IHIT at 1-877-551-4448.