IHIT identify man shot dead in Burnaby, B.C., parkade, believe attack was targeted
RCMP's homicide investigators have identified the 29-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., man shot and killed in a Burnaby parkade on Saturday as Gagandeep Sandhu, and say early evidence suggests the killing was targeted.
Burnaby RCMP responded to reports of gunshots shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday near Lougheed Shopping Centre, the detachment said in a statement.
Sandhu was found dead inside a vehicle in an underground parkade below 3433 North Rd. around 5 p.m., according to a statement from the RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on Sunday afternoon.
RCMP say Gagandeep Sandhu, 29, was the man killed in what they believe to be a targeted shooting in a Burnaby parkade on Saturday. (Integrated Homicide Investigation Team)
Soon after, RCMP received a report of a vehicle fire near Greenwood Street and Bainbridge Avenue, about six kilometres away.
Mounties discovered a black Honda Pilot SUV on fire near a treed area, which they said could be related to the shooting.
The vehicle's entire hood was burned away and the fire had melted the rubber of its tires on Saturday evening. Its windshield and at least one other window had blown out, and two doors were ajar.
A Honda Pilot SUV was found engulfed in flames on Saturday, shortly after a shooting that left one man dead, about six kilometres away in Burnaby, B.C. Police say they are investigating whether the two incidents are related. (Shane MacKichan)
IHIT has taken charge of the investigation, and did not comment on whether or not investigators believe the shooting is related to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict.
"Initial evidence suggests this was a targeted shooting, though the motive remains unclear," said IHIT's statement.
The homicide team said it identified the victim in hopes of advancing its investigation.
"IHIT is working closely with the RCMP's forensic experts to process both scenes and to determine if they are related," spokesperson Sgt. Timothy Pierotti said in a media release on Sunday, urging any witnesses or motorists with dash cameras near the area between 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday to contact IHIT.
