Suminder Grewal, 43, has been identified as the victim of the drive-thru shooting in South Surrey Friday morning (Aug. 2).
Grewal was a “well-established member of an organized crime group,” according to a news release from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team Friday night. IHIT also said officers will be “engaging with numerous gang enforcement units throughout the Lower Mainland region that will be working to mitigate any ongoing violence.”
Multiple posts of Facebook, from accounts claiming to be associated with the Hells Angels, confirm Grewal was a member of the Hardside chapter. The posts use the name “Allie” and “Ali.”
Police said it is believed the shooting was targeted.
READ ALSO: Man dies in South Surrey drive-thru shooting, Aug. 2, 2019
The shooting happened around 9:20 a.m. in a drive-thru shared between Starbucks and Envision Financial in Southpoint Exchange shopping centre in the 3000-block of 152nd Street in South Surrey.
When officers arrived, police said they found Grewal “suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.”
Corporal Elenore Sturko said he died at the scene.
IHIT said that immediately following the shooting, members of the public called police with information about “a suspect vehicle,” which was then “quickly passed on to all officers.”
Surrey RCMP Frontline officers, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) Uniformed Gang Enforcement Team and Police Service Dog Garner with the Integrated Police Dog Services (IPDS) responded and were “able to intercept the suspect vehicle” and arrest two men in connection with the earlier homicide.
Surrey RCMP said the two suspects initially fled the scene in a vehicle and then on foot.
The men, according to Sturko, were arrested in two separate locations. Police are not releasing the two other locations.
Police also haven’t released the identities of the two suspects.
Sturko said police don’t believe there is any continued risk to the public.
“It is concerning, of course, when we have incidents of shooting in a public place, especially in a public place that is very busy with pedestrians and the people going about their daily business. Any time there’s a shooting in public, it poses a risk to public safety,” she told the Now-Leader.
“That being said, it is believed that this is a targeted incident and that while it did pose a risk to public safety while it was unfolding, we don’t believe there is any continued risk to the public.”
IHIT is now working with Surrey RCMP’s Serious Crime Unit and BC Coroners Service to “complete priority tasks, including a thorough neighbourhood canvas for video surveillance and witnesses.” IHIT’s crime scene manager, according to the release,” will be working with forensics specialist to “complete a fulsome forensic examination of the suspect vehicle and the physical evidence collected at the scene of the shooting.”
Anyone with information, who have yet to come forward to police, is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. If people wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
