Homicide investigators have identified the victim of a shooting in North Vancouver this week as 32-year-old Ngoc Mai Nguyen.
First responders found Nguyen, who also goes by the first name Anita, suffering from gunshot wounds following reports of a shooting in the 1100 block of Lonsdale Avenue at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
"Ms. Nguyen was taken to hospital where she was placed on life support with non-survivable injuries," the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team's Cpl. Frank Jang said in the release. "IHIT was called in to take conduct of the investigation."
CTV News Vancouver has learned the victim is a single mother and that she works out of the back of a building on Lonsdale preparing food for a company.
Witnesses said she had just arrived at work when she was shot.
"I heard what sounded like a faint scream and then followed by three loud bangs," one witness told CTV on Tuesday.
Employees at local shops describe Nguyen as a friendly woman and a devoted mother, saying her daughter is what she talks about the most.
Detectives believe the shooting was targeted, but two days later, there is still no suspect in custody.
IHIT is working with the North Vancouver RCMP, the Integrated Forensic Identification Services and the BC Coroners Service to piece together what happened.
“We will be continuing our coordinated canvass of the neighbourhood where the shooting took place for video surveillance footage and witnesses,” Jang said.
“Our detectives will continue to follow-up on several leads and we urge anyone with information about what happened to Anita Nguyen to contact IHIT immediately.”
Anyone with information that could advance the investigation is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-4448.
With files from CTV Vancouver's St. John Alexander
