‘I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SAFE STREET’
Latest rash of shootings leaves residents shaken, public officials looking for answers
Andy Daniel spent part of his Wednesday morning sweeping up the broken glass that littered the street in front of his house in a quiet Surrey neighbourhood.
It was the only remaining evidence of a targeted shooting that had taken place the night before in the 15900-block of 89A Avenue in Fleetwood.
“They were shooting right here,” Daniel said. “It was so loud — to me it was like machine-gun fire.”
Daniel was in bed when he heard six or seven rapid-fire shots around 10:30 p.m. His window was open and, when he looked out, he saw a white SUV driving away. He said he couldn’t get back to sleep.
Neither could his neighbour Sukhvir Sahota, who also heard the gunshots. She saw a person run away after the shooting toward a nearby alley.
“I couldn’t sleep all night, it was really scary,” she said.
Both Daniel and Sahota described the neighbourhood as quiet. Cars line both sides of the street, but that’s because many of the houses have rental suites, not because it’s busy, Daniel said.
“It’s happening all over the place here in B.C., in Surrey mostly, and it could happen any time,” Daniel said of the shootings. “I mean you just don’t know. I thought this was a safe street.”
Sahota said she walks most mornings and evenings and there are often children playing on the street.
“That’s really scary. You can’t go anywhere,” she said. “It’s not safe to go outside now.”
The shooting in Fleetwood, which police say was targeted and left one man with non-life-threatening injuries, was the third in Surrey in the space of eight hours on Tuesday.
The narrow streets around the townhouse complex in Clayton where the first shooting of the day took place around 3 p.m. are lined with closely spaced houses. On 70th Avenue, residents have put up multiple signs warning drivers to slow down because children are playing nearby and there is a park with a playground at the corner of 70th and 180th Street.
A woman who was walking with her sons as they delivered community newspapers described the neighbourhood as “close knit” and said practically every house has children.
Her friend, who was walking her dog, agreed.
“It’s all families, so it was shocking,” she said of the targeted shooting, which left bullet holes in a vehicle and garage door. The vehicle was occupied at the time, but no one was injured. It’s believed the shooter was on a motorcycle and left before police arrived.
Neither woman wished to have her name published.
Benjamin Tumak, who lives across from the townhouse complex, was outside his house doing yard work on Wednesday morning. He said it’s a nice neighbourhood and everyone looks out for each other.
“I’ve never seen nothing like this before, ever. It’s a safe area,” Tumak said. “I was surprised to hear about it because it’s scary.”
He said the shooting doesn’t change his opinion of the neighbourhood where he’s lived for a dozen years and he’s confident the police will find out who’s responsible.
Tuesday’s second shooting took place just after 7 p.m. in the 19200-block of 72nd Avenue, which is a wide road that has empty lots on one side of the road and houses on the other. There are a few shops on the corner of 192nd Street and 72nd Avenue. It’s just a few minutes from the first shooting.
Witnesses told police that shots appeared to have been fired from one vehicle at a second vehicle. No injuries were reported.
Joy Mizunoya didn’t realize there had been a shooting until the police arrived with sirens blaring and lights flashing. Although the sidewalk was empty on Wednesday afternoon, she said there are many families living in the area and kids are usually playing outside. Neighbours have barbecues and greet each other on the street.
“This is a quiet, peaceful place,” Mizunoya said.
It’s unclear whether Tuesday’s shootings are connected to each other or any of the shootings reported last week.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Surrey RCMP at 604-5990502.
Those who wish to remain anonymous can reach out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.