The 26-year-old suspect arrested minutes after a gunman opened fire at a Richmond banquet hall Wednesday night is now charged with attempted murder.
Mounties say the suspect, Sukhdeep Sandhu from Vancouver, is known to them. Sandhu has been charged with three counts of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault and dangerous driving.
Sgt. Peter Thiessen said the man was picked up “some distance” from the Riverside Banquet Hall on River Road, where witnesses reported hearing at least 10 shots fired shortly before 9 p.m.
“Just five minutes after the shooting Richmond RCMP officers had arrested a suspect without incident,” Thiessen said in a statement. “At this point police are still trying to determine if the shooting was gang-related.”
Four men were injured at the hall where around 150 people were gathered. Two were critically wounded, while the other two are now in stable condition.
Police say they are still trying to determine the connection between the victims and the suspect.
“We are still looking at the backgrounds of the individual we have in custody, and we are looking at the backgrounds we have of the four adult male victims to see what their affiliations may be, if in fact they are known to police,” said Thiessen.
The suspect’s next court appearance is on Thursday, Jan. 24 in Richmond Provincial Court.
