Shots rang out in Newton again this week, bringing to 10 the number of confirmed shootings this year in a city recoiling from continued gun violence.
On Friday (March 18) at 2 a.m., Surrey RCMP responded to a call of shots fired near 144 Street and 92 Avenue.
Shell casings were found at the scene and police were alerted that a man had arrived at Surrey Memorial Hospital with a gunshot wound.
The victim is a 23-year-old from Surrey who is known to police.
Police say the investigation is in the early stages, but they believe it was a targeted shooting.
Investigators are still trying to determine whether the shooting is related to previous incidents of gun violence in the Newton area.
Friday’s incident is the 10th shooting this year – or almost one a week as of March 18.
The number may increase if a homicide in Newton is determined to be related to a shooting.
Surrey is now outpacing a year of violence in 2015, when there were 47 shootings in the embattled Newton area as two rival drug gangs initiated a turf war. That amounted to a shooting almost every week.
Surrey RCMP Cpl. Scotty Schumann was unable to confirm the number of shootings, but said any shooting is a concern to police.
The public need not be concerned about their own safety, he added, but noted it pays to be vigilant.
“In my experience, people who are not involved in a life of crime are not likely going to become victims of crime,” Schumann said. “That said, when you have criminals who are violent and seem to have no regard for anyone’s safety, the public should be concerned.”
He said police are using all resources available to put an end to the shootings.
“People should know we’re working around the clock to solve these types of crimes,” Schumann said.
Police analysts are working to determine whether there is another outbreak of violence similar to last year.
So far, police have made no connection between the shootings this year and those that happened in 2015.
“That’s not to say the connections aren’t there,” Schumann said. “But we haven’t seen any yet.”
Anyone with further information about the March 18 incident is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or, if they wish to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit a tip at www.solvecrime.ca
