The innocent bystander struck by a stray bullet in a brazen daylight shootout between two vehicles on a Surrey residential street is recovering, but still frightened, according to the city’s mayor.

Linda Hepner told reporters that she spoke by phone on Monday with the woman, who is visiting from Ontario, less than a day after she had been grazed by the bullet while sitting in a minivan on 147A Street.

“I can tell you she was as frightened as anyone would be, seeing gunplay on the street from these thugs,” said Hepner.

“I can assure you she was incredibly frightened and was sore today. I am furious this has happened in my city."

The occupants of a red pickup fired at a black Hyundai on 147A between 77 and 78 streets, according to Surrey RCMP. The black Hyundai fled, but not before hitting a bollard on the street and destroying its bumper.

Witnesses saw the Hyundai head north. It appears the people in the red truck fired after the car, and one of those bullets hit a woman sitting in a grey minivan.

“I can tell you that investigators firmly believe that she is the unintended victim,” said Sgt. Dale Carr of Surrey RCMP.

A short time later the red truck was found in flames – set on fire by the suspects, Carr said.

The risk that an innocent person would get hit in gun battles between the city’s warring, street-level gangs was always there, Carr said.

“As police we talked about this many many times. And today’s incident is one that is extremely close to a catastrophe,” Carr said Sunday.

Shots fired calls are on track to be down 20 per cent, according to police statistics – from 61 in 2016 to 23 so far in 2017. And violent crime is down 24 per cent when comparing the first quarter of this year to last year.

That may be in part due to 132 new officers hired in the past two years.

But an innocent victim struck is something that makes this crime stand out, said Hepner.

“This kind of incident is the one thing that can’t happen. Innocent people going about their daily lives and hit by a stray bullet by a bunch of thugs. This is not on the table,” she said.

“When I see these vile people doing this to the reputation of this city and attacking people I’m furious. I’ve had conversations with the police chief and this is the top priority. I hope the full extent of the law comes down on these creatures.”