Gangland murders continue in the lower mainland with the latest casualty being gunned-down while he waited in a taxi in the Guildford area of Surrey. According to news reports, the 30-year-old victim, whose name is not being released before notifying his family, has a lengthy criminal history. He was targeted as the taxi sat in the parking lot of Church’s Chicken. Surrey RCMP Cpl. Vanessa Munn said “both occupants of the vehicle had been shot.”
By PD Raj – Senior Writer DESIBUZZCanada
SURREY – Gangland murders continue in the lower mainland with the latest casualty being gunned-down while he waited in a taxi in the Guildford area of Surrey.
Surrey RCMP is requesting anyone with information to contact police regarding the killing that took place Tuesday afternoon.
On August 9, at approximately 2:20 p.m., Surrey RCMP received the report of shots fired at a taxi in a parking lot in the 14800 block of 108 Avenue. Upon arrival, it was determined that both occupants of the vehicle had been shot. The passenger, a 30-year-old male is deceased and the driver of the taxi was transported to hospital with serious injuries.
According to news reports, the 30-year-old victim, whose name is not being released before notifying his family, has a lengthy criminal history. He was targeted as the taxi sat in the parking lot of Church’s Chicken. Surrey RCMP Cpl. Vanessa Munn said “both occupants of the vehicle had been shot.”
“The driver of the taxi was transported to hospital with serious injuries,” she said, adding that the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team had been called in.
“This daytime shooting in a strip mall parking lot demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety of others and resulted in serious injuries to a taxi driver,” Munn said.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has been called and will be working in partnership with Surrey RCMP. The area surrounding the scene will be cordoned off for an undetermined amount of time while police work to gather evidence.
“Initial indications are that this was a targeted incident with the 30-year-old deceased man being known to police,” Munn said. “This daytime shooting in a strip mall parking lot demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety of others and resulted in serious injuries to a taxi driver.”
Postmedia reported that they know the identity of the man killed and he is believed to be involved in the street-level drug trade. At the time of the shooting, he was before the courts on three trafficking charges laid in 2020, as well as two driving offences from both Vancouver and Surrey. His criminal record dates back to 2010.
There has been a spate of shootings that have over a half dozen men from the criminal underworld dead. The latest murder comes just three days after a teenager with links to the Brothers Keepers gang was shot to death on the Trans-Canada Highway in Burnaby. A second man was also wounded in the shooting at 2:29 p.m. Saturday near the Kensington overpass.
IHIT identified the dead teen as Meysam Zaki, 18. Investigators did not release the name of the wounded man.
Just a week earlier on July 30, two young men were killed and a third critically injured in a shooting in the parking lot of the South Surrey Athletic Park. IHIT announced Aug. 5 that a suspect had been arrested, but not yet charged in the slayings, which were described as having “a nexus to gang and drug activity,” reported Posrtmedia.
Anyone with further information who has not already spoken to police is asked to contact the IHIT tip line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or email at ihittipline@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
