Tyrel Hieu Nguyen Quesnelle, 21, has been arrested and is being charged with first-degree murder in connection with two Lower Mainland murders, including one in Surrey, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team announced Friday afternoon (Dec. 20).
Quesnelle was arrested and charged in connection with the 2018 murder of Jagvir Malhi in Abbotsford and the 2017 murder of Randeep Kang in Surrey, according to IHIT Corporal David Lee.
Quesnelle, Lee said, is linked to the Lower Mainland gang conflict, “but to which specifically, I cannot say right now.”
Lee told reporters in Surrey that he cannot speak as to how the two murders are connected “as the matters are going to be before the court.” Lee said there are other people involved in the murders, and IHIT is encouraging anyone to come forward.
With the help of Edmonton Police Service, Combine Forces Special Enforcement Unit and the Alberta RCMP, IHIT was able to arrest Quesnelle.
Quesnelle was arrested “without incident” from a vehicle Dec. 20 in Edmonton, Lee said.
The investigations, Lee said, initially started out separately. However, Lee said he couldn’t disclose when the two investigations became linked.
Jagvir Malhi, 19, was the “unintended victim” of a 2018 shooting in Abbotsford in November of 2018. He was airlifted from the scene, but died shortly afterward in hospital.
Earlier this month, IHIT released new details from the investigation, stating that a dark blue Acura TL was found on fire in Surrey in the area of 128A Street and 109th Avenue, less than an hour after the killing. Police also said video surveillance footage from the area showed a white Mazda 3 driving in tandem with the Acura.
Investigators believe the occupants of the Acura set the vehicle on fire and then left the area in the white Mazda 3, IHIT previously said.
READ ALSO: Abbotsford man was ‘unintended victim’ of 2018 fatal shooting, police say, Dec. 6, 2019
Following the shooting, IHIT stated that the killing was believed to be “gang-related,” although they didn’t specify the connection. That prompted numerous people, including two friends who spoke directly to the Black Press Media, to speak out – mostly through social media – about Malhi, saying he was not involved in gangs and was in fact a role model in the community.
Sergeant Frank Jang, of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said Malhi (shown below) had no criminal history when he was shot on Nov. 12, 2018 while driving in the area of Ross and Simpson roads in Abbotsford.
Friends describe murder victim as ‘most caring guy we knew’, Nov. 15, 2018
READ ALSO: Murder victim Jagvir Malhi was not involved in gangs, says IHIT, Nov. 20, 2018
Randeep Kang was the victim of a shooting in Surrey in 2017.
Kang, 27, was killed just before 9 p.m. in the 11300-block of Alpen Place on Oct. 27, Surrey RCMP said at the time. Two men were found with gunshot wounds, with Kang being pronounced dead at the scene and the other victim being taken to hospital.
Surrey RCMP said Kang was known to police and was “associated to gang activity.”
READ ALSO: Vancouver’s Randeep Kang, 27, identified as victim of Surrey shooting, Oct. 28, 2017
Investigators believe Kang’s murder was targeted and linked to other gang violence in the Lower Mainland.
Surrey RCMP said just after the shooting, they received a call about a dark-coloured SUV on fire on Wellington Drive, a short distance away from the shooting scene.
– With files from Vikki Hopes, Aaron Hinks
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.comLike us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram and follow Lauren on Twitter
