While the backdrop was a posh golf course near University of British Columbia in Vancouver and not Surrey, but it was another gangland shooting that claimed another Indo-Canadian man caught in the murderous game of drugs and gangs. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said Tuesday they have identified the victim as 38-year old Vishal Walia in a targeted shooting on University Boulevard on the University Endowment Lands. Even though Walia did not a have a criminal record, reports say he was a close associate of UN gangster Aman Manj, who was also shot to death 13 months ago in the parkade of the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel.

By R. Paul Dhillon – Editor DESIBUZZCanada

VANCOUVER – While the backdrop was a posh golf course near University of British Columbia in Vancouver and not Surrey, but it was another gangland shooting that claimed another Indo-Canadian man caught in the murderous game of drugs and gangs.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said Tuesday they have identified the victim as 38-year old Vishal Walia in a targeted shooting on University Boulevard on the University Endowment Lands.

On Monday, October 17 at 9:49 a.m., University RCMP received reports of a shooting at the University Golf Course, located in the 5100-block of University Boulevard on the University Endowment Lands.  Officers attended and located a man suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts by the officers, the victim succumbed to his injuries. IHIT took conduct of the investigation and continues to work closely in partnership with the University Detachment, BC Coroners Service and the RCMP Forensic Identification Section.

Investigators are now identifying Walia, United Nations gang associate, in hopes of furthering their investigation. Investigators believe this to have been a targeted shooting in relation to the lower mainland gang conflict.

Even though Walia did not a have a criminal record, reports say he was a close associate of UN gangster Aman Manj, who was also shot to death 13 months ago in the parkade of the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel.

Both Walia and Manj were sued by the director of civil forfeiture in 2017 after a Vancouver police stop in which $6,000 was seized and later forfeited, reported Postmedia.

The lawsuit said both Walia and Manj were in possession of proceeds of crime and involved in trafficking.

Dating back more than a decade, Walia had been associated to several big names in the Lower Mainland — including Peter Adiwal, who was shot more than 20 times in 2009 but survived; Gurmit Dhak, who was gunned down in November 2012; and Jujhar Khun Khun, convicted of conspiring to kill Red Scorpion gangster Jonathan Bacon in August 2011, reported media.

Police are also looking into whether the vehicle set ablaze in an alley off Crown Street and West 21 Avenue 10 minutes later could have been the getaway car of the criminals who gunned down Walia. Suspects in this incident were later arrested after a vehicle crash around 10:45 a.m. on Highway 91 in Richmond.

Police said at 10:02 a.m., a vehicle fire was reported in the laneway located in the 4000-block of W 20th Avenue, Vancouver and IHIT is working with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to determine if the two incidents are connected.

“IHIT is urging anyone who had contact with Mr. Walia in the days leading to his death, to please contact police, as we continue to build a timeline of events,” says Sergeant Timothy Pierotti of IHIT. “We are still appealing to anyone with dash cam video to secure the footage and to contact us immediately.”

IHIT is asking that any witnesses or anyone with dash camera video who attended the area of the University Golf Course between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. or who was in the 4000-block of W 20th Avenue or who has any information regarding the shooting, to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.