Man with gang ties gunned down near strip mall
Homicide investigators are seeking the public's help after a 29-yearold Surrey man with gang links was shot to death Sunday night outside a Fleetwood shopping plaza.
Riyad Rasheed, 29, died at the scene after being hit with several shots outside a Shoppers Drug Mart near 152 Street and Fraser Highway at 7:41 p.m.
The area was crowded with vehicles and shoppers at the time.
Sgt. Frank Jang, of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said a dark-coloured sedan left the area immediately after the shooting.
Richmond RCMP was called to a vehicle fire about 9 p.m. near Cambie and No. 7 Road, he said.
“This vehicle is believed to be the suspect vehicle from the earlier shooting in Surrey,” Jang said. “Anyone with dashcam video who was near the areas of the shooting in Surrey and the car fire in Richmond is asked to call IHIT immediately.”
He said Rasheed was known to police and his slaying is believed to have been a targeted incident with links to the continuing Lower Mainland gang conflict.
That conflict has led to dozens of shootings and several murders over the past two years, as well as police seizures of firearms and drugs.
The most recent escalation this fall related to friction between the Brothers Keepers gang and members of the United Nations over control of lucrative drug lines.
“This was a brazen shooting in a commercial plaza with numerous members of the public in the area at the time of the incident,” Jang said.
“The perpetrators of this violence need to be held to account. They will now be targeted for prosecution.”
Rasheed had no criminal record in B.C. nor had faced charges, according to the online court database.
On Oct. 29, Rasheed leased a black 2020 Porsche Cayenne for a year from Regenwald Leasing in south Vancouver, according to the personal property registry. He listed his home address as being in the 14000 block of 72nd Avenue in Surrey.
Regenwald director Yulin Fan said Monday he was unaware that one of his clients was the victim of Sunday's targeted shooting.
He said Rasheed had been a referral from another client and that one of his staff members had handled the deal, so he didn't know the specific details of it or what Rasheed said he did for a living.
“I am definitely aware of this client, but I am not the one that did the deal,” he said.
He said he didn't feel comfortable saying more under the circumstances.
Anyone with information is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-5514448 or ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.