Authorities in Surrey, British Columbia, are currently looking into two separate shooting incidents that took place this week, one of which is suspected to be related to extortion.
According to Surrey Police, the first incident occurred in the Cloverdale area around 4:25 a.m. on Wednesday when gunshots were fired at a home and a parked vehicle. Thankfully, no one was harmed inside the residence, although several bullet casings were discovered outside.
The investigation into the shooting is now being handled by the Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit, as it is believed to have ties to extortion activities.
In a separate series of events, law enforcement had previously been examining three shootings at a different location on 140A Street in Guildford. These incidents took place on Dec. 7, 27, and 28, but fortunately, no injuries were reported. Authorities have stated that these shootings are not likely related to gang-related activities or recent extortion cases involving the South Asian community.
Officials are urging anyone who may have information or dashcam footage related to the shootings to come forward and assist with the investigation.
The South Asian community in Surrey has experienced a spate of extortion incidents, prompting Mayor Brenda Locke to advocate for federal intervention to protect residents from what she describes as “international thugs and criminals.”