The RCMP were called to the scene at 152nd and 66A Avenues shortly after midnight. They found a vehicle with two victims inside, one of them paramedics attempted to revive but were unable to and he was pronounced dead at the scene. The other man was taken to hospital; police say this second man sustained non-life threatening injuries.
A publication called The Indo-Canadian Voice has reported members of the local community say the name of the deceased is Surinder Hayer, a local longshoreman who is active in promoting field hockey. Police have not confirmed that Mr. Hayer is the victim.
Surrey gang war
Whether the shooting is the latest in what appears to be an ongoing turf war between rival gangs is not clear and Sgt. Stephanie Ashton of the RCMP said they have not made a connection between this shooting and any other.
“This investigation is in the early stages,” Sgt. Ashton told media. “Investigators believe this to be a targeted shooting however at this point there is no indication this shooting has any connection to any other investigation within the Surrey area.
“I want to reassure the public that their safety is of paramount concern,” she added. “IHIT investigators, Surrey RCMP and other Lower Mainland investigative units are working to determine the circumstances that led up to this incident.”
To date in 2015 there’s been at least 45 shootings and three deaths in what the RCMP believe is a turf war between “two groups who are involved in low-level drug trafficking.”
The two groups engaged in a battle over turf and the drug trade are, RCMP say, of “South Asian and Somalian descent.” The Mounties have said in a previous statement that these groups have “chosen to jeopardize public safety” during their ongoing battle.
