Police have identified 30-year-old Amrendra Vijay Kumar as the Surrey man found dead after a late-night shooting in Newton.
“We do not believe Mr. Kumar’s shooting was a random act and our detectives are working hard to determine motive,” said Corporal Frank Jang of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on Wednesday.
“We need those who knew Mr. Kumar to come forward and help us piece together the circumstances leading up to his death.”
Kumar was not known to police, according to Jang.
“There’s nothing we’ve uncovered so far, in the last 12 hours or so, to link this incident to any gang conflict.”
Jang said police don’t believe this was a “mere random incident.”
Cpl. Frank Jang said officers have searched their records and can’t find a criminal history for the victim. #Surreybc pic.twitter.com/sEwPuk50Ea
— Lauren Collins (@laurenpcollins1) April 10, 2019
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The shooting happened in the 13900-block of 72nd Avenue just before midnight on Tuesday (April 9). Officers arrived to find Kumar injured, and police say he died at the scene outside of a townhouse complex.
“Immediately following the shooting, a vehicle left the scene at a high rate of speed,” according to a release from IHIT, which has taken over the investigation.
“Approximately 40 minutes later at 12:27 a.m., the Surrey RCMP received a call of a car fire in the area of 164 Street and 92 Avenue. This vehicle is believed to be related to the earlier shooting and will be seized for further examination.”
Jang said there aren’t many details about the vehicle. He said it was a sedan, but it was fully engulfed in flames when officers arrived.
“That much we can tell.”
Investigators hope the public can help find a suspect or suspects and are seeking video footage.
Police are asking the public for dash cam video for the following areas and time frames: 140th Street between 72nd Avenue and 88th Avenue from 11:45 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., and 72nd Avenue between King George Boulevard and 152nd Street from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Anyone with information is asked to call IHIT at 1-877-551- IHIT (4448), or email ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Corporal Elenore Sturko said this latest shooting is the 13th shots-fired incident in Surrey so far this year, which is “statistically equal to 2018 year to date.”
There were 38 shootings in Surrey in 2018, and 59 in 2017. In 2016 there were 61 and in 2015 there were 88.
Surrey RCMP investigating fatal shooting in 13900-block of 72nd Avenue Wednesday morning. #SurreyBC pic.twitter.com/gpcXgJ8DDT
— Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk) April 10, 2019
Police investigate after a fatal overnight shooting in Newton on Tuesday, April 9. (Photo: Tom Zytaruk)
Police investigate after a fatal overnight shooting in Newton on Tuesday, April 9. (Photo: Tom Zytaruk)
Interesting sign…all is very quiet now at the Newton townhouse complex that's the site of Surrey's latest fatal shooting. pic.twitter.com/i7GUBWWs7G
— Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk) April 10, 2019
Networks of yellow police tape weave between the townhouses. pic.twitter.com/2gPB0qgTaK
— Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk) April 10, 2019
Very quiet now at townhouse complex in Newton where police investigating last night's fatal shooting. pic.twitter.com/rZAtn7jeaK
— Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk) April 10, 2019
Police tape at site of shooting investigation pic.twitter.com/r0vb6iqyal
— Tom Zytaruk (@tomzytaruk) April 10, 2019
Files from Lauren Collins
