The killer who killed two people and wounded two others in Langley Monday criss-crossed the community for five hours during the shooting spree, investigators said.
The four shootings took place between midnight and 5:45 a.m., said Sgt. David Lee with the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) which is taking the lead on the investigation into the attack.
Lee said the first shooting took place around midnight near the Cascades Casino, where a woman was shot and critically injured.
The next shooting took place at about 3 a.m. at Creek Stone Place, a supportive housing complex in the 6400 block of 200th Street in Langley Township. A man was killed, and Lee said it is believed the victim was killed outside the building, although that was still being determined.
The next shooting took place at 5 a.m. at the bus loop at Logan Avenue and Glover Road, where another man was killed.
Finally, at about 5:45 a.m., a man was shot in the leg around 200th Street and the Langley Bypass.
This was where the killer encountered police from the Langley RCMP and Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team. The man was killed by officers. Police are releasing few details about the encounter with police, which is being reviewed by the Independent Investigations Office.
Lee would not say what type of gun the suspect was using.
Lee said there were also shots fired into closed businesses.
“The suspect was known to police,” said Lee. However, his name has not yet been released.
He was previously described in an emergency alert as a Caucasian male.
Victims have also been identified but their names are also not being released yet.
Lee said police are working to determine what connection, if any, there was between the victims and the shooter.
He could not speak to whether or not all or most of the victims were homeless.
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However, local homeless advocate Kim Snow previously told the Langley Advance Times that she believes two victims were homeless.
A shopping cart full of belongings was at the site of the first shooting near the Cascades Casino, where a woman was critically injured. The second killing was at Creek Stone Place, a supportive housing residence for those getting off the streets. Lee could not confirm whether or not the victim was a resident there.
The bus loop is a common spot for the homeless, but is also busy with commuters every day.
The killer is believed to have acted alone.
“All indications are that there was nobody else involved,” said Chief Supt. Ghalib Bhayani, assistant district commander of the BC RCMP Lower Mainland.
The emergency alert that woke up thousands of residents of Langley at about 6:15 a.m. came shortly after the man was killed by police, but before police were certain there was only one shooter.
Lee said it was sent out as soon as police had enough information that it met the criteria for such an alert, which includes a situation that is a threat to the public, and that may be continuing.
Lee said that a reference to “transient” victims in the first emergency alert was a reference to the transient, moving nature of the shootings, but Langley RCMP had earlier confirmed that victims were believed to be homeless.
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