Separate shootings in Metro Vancouver send 2 men to hospital; 1 is not expected to survive

A 24-year-old shooting victim who arrived at a Surrey, B.C., hospital overnight is fighting for his life.

Because of the nature of the victim's injuries, Surrey RCMP said they have pre-emptively called in the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

Few other details have been confirmed, including where the shooting took place.

"Initial information to police indicated the shooting took place in Whalley, though that has not yet been confirmed," Surrey RCMP said in a news release.

Investigators are also still working to determine a motive for the shooting, and whether the incident is connected to the drug trade or the Lower Mainland's ongoing gang conflict.

In Delta, a shooting also sent a man to hospital with serious injuries.

Bullets were flying in the area of 92A Avenue and 117 Street shortly after 11 p.m.

Several bullets hit a truck. One bullet pierced a window in a home. More bullets struck a car parked down the street, shattering the back window.

“That’s the car of my daughter, so luckily she was not there and none of the family members were outside,” said a woman named Aurora, who lives in the neighbourhood and declined to give her last name.

Neighbour Dave Goodwin also heard the gunfire, but at first thought it was fireworks.

“Then we realized it was probably guns shots and when I came to the front door I could hear people yelling around the corner,” he said.

“I saw a truck kind of crashed into the side of a car and people quite upset and yelling, and one fella people were trying to help him a little bit,” Goodwin explained, adding that police arrived within minutes.

Investigators say they don’t believe there is an ongoing threat to the public.

“They believe the shooting was targeted, the individual that was injured in the shooting was the intended target, and that there are links to the Lower Mainland gang conflict,” said Acting Insp. James Sandberg of the Delta Police Department.

“Shortly after this incident occurred, we were notified by the Surrey RCMP that they had a report of a vehicle fire in the Bridgeview neighbourhood of Surrey. They’ve recovered that vehicle. Although we can not make a confirmed connection, our suspicion is it will be our suspect vehicle,” he said.

Sandberg said there is no information at this time to connect the two shootings.

Meanwhile, police said a team will be in the neighbourhood to reassure residents who may be anxious after what happened.

“It’s really scary for us because in hindsight, it could have been a day that my daughter got home late,” said Aurora.

Goodwin also said he had concerns.

“What if someone was out walking their dog at the time? It is scary,” he said.

Police are urging anyone with surveillance video or who witnessed what happened to contact them.

No arrests have been made.