Suspect lit Surrey shopkeeper on fire, witness says

In a terrifying incident Friday afternoon at a currency exchange in Surrey’s Whalley neighbourhood, a witness says a robber lit a shopkeeper on fire before fleeing the scene.

Local Mounties say they responded to a “serious assault” in the 10200 block of City Parkway around 1:10 p.m. and that a victim was taken to hospital with severe injuries.

Police did not disclose any specifics about the assault nor the nature of the victim’s injuries, but a witness at the scene says she saw a man enter through the back door, throw gasoline on the victim, light him on fire and run away.

The shopkeeper, engulfed in flames, ran past the witness and out to the front sidewalk, where his wife and bystanders scrambled to put out the fire with blankets, according to the witness.

“His entire body was on fire,” Jessica Vesper said. “He was burning alive.”

She said bystanders managed to snuff out the flames before firefighters arrived, but the man suffered serious burns to his face and arms, and his clothing burned off.

“I think a minute longer and he wouldn’t have survived,” she said. “His wife was crying, everyone was crying.”

The Surrey RCMP says the suspect then stole a car and remains at large.

“Police remain in the area and are actively looking for the suspect. The investigators are examining the scene, speaking with witnesses and canvassing the neighbourhood for CCTV footage,” the detachment wrote in a news release. “The investigation is still in the early stages and police are working to determine the motive.”

The stolen vehicle is a white Mini Cooper with black stripes and black rims, with the B.C. licence plate D80745, according to police.

A vehicle stolen after an assault in Surrey on Friday, Aug. 2 is seen in this image handed out by the Surrey RCMP. Mounties describe the suspect as a young man, 25-30 years old, with a moustache. He was wearing black pants, a black grey hoodie with black arms and a green baseball cap with “Cariboo” written on it.

The suspect in an assault in Surrey on Friday, Aug. 2 is seen in this image handed out by the Surrey RCMP. Anyone who sees the suspect or stolen vehicle is urged to not approach and to call 911, and those with information about the suspect’s whereabouts are asked to call the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502.