Surrey shooting: 1 dead after late-night incident; homicide investigators called in

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SURREY, B.C. -- A homicide investigation is underway in Surrey, B.C., after a man was shot and killed Tuesday night in Newton.

Officers were called to 122A Street near 80th Avenue shortly before 10 p.m. after getting reports of shots fired.

“Upon police attendance, an adult victim was located suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite all attempts to revive the individual the victim succumbed to their injuries,” wrote Staff Sgt. Duane Honeyman in a news release.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been called and will be working in partnership with the Surrey RCMP Major Crime Section.

Mounties blocked off a large portion of 122A Street with police tape as they investigated.

A white tent was put up next to a dark coloured SUV parked outside of a house.

Beneath it was a yellow tarp covering what appeared to be a body next to the open driver-side door.

The RCMP’s canine unit was called in, as investigators scoured the area, laying down more than a dozen evidence markers on the road.

“Traffic will be affected for an unknown amount of time with 122 A Street shut down for both north and south bound traffic between 80 Avenue and 78 Avenue,” wrote Honeyman.

A short time later, a dark coloured pickup truck was found burning about a five-minute drive away on 129A Street.

IHIT Sgt. David Lee provided a short update Wednesday afternoon.

“Preliminary info indicates it is related to ongoing gang conflict in the Lower Mainland,” Lee wrote in an email, adding that the investigation is in its early stages and the shooting appears to be targeted. 

Gerry Tuka said he was drawn to his front window, just before the shooting, after his dog started barking at something outside.

He saw a dark coloured truck parked across the street

Tuka says he later heard what sounded like a few doors slamming and then the gunfire erupted in rapid succession.

“Heard half a dozen gunshots. We came from the back room out here and I saw the truck take off, and go down there to the corner and go down the lane. And then all heck broke loose,” he described from his front porch.

He didn’t see the victim, but he believes he saw the getaway vehicle.

“It was a pickup truck with a canopy on it. It was all dark. It wasn't a white one. It didn't have dual exhaust or nothing because it was pretty quiet when it took off,” he told CTV News.

He’s lived in the neighbourhood for over 40 years and says he was surprised something so violent happened there.

“It's uncomfortable, of course. But no matter where you live, it happens. What can you do?” he said.

This is Metro Vancouver’s third incident in as many weeks involving a body and a burned vehicle.

On Sept. 15, 35-year-old Amandeep Manj was gunned down in the parkade of the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in downtown Vancouver. Later that night, a truck was found burning at the intersection of Penticton and Charles streets in East Vancouver.

On Wednesday, Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Const. Tania Visintin could not confirm if that incident was related to gang crime.

“As far as I know, we don’t have anything that we are going to be speaking about as of yet; it’s still a very active investigation,” Visintin said.

On Sept. 25, a burned pickup truck was discovered in Maple Ridge. Once crews extinguished the flames, a body was found inside.