NRI Hardev
Sidhu, 27, in drug trade, was shot to death
SURREY I Man in drug trade found dead
in car; couple wounded in bar dispute
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Kim Bolan
Vancouver Sun
Two unrelated early-morning shootings in Surrey left one
man dead and two people in hospital with gunshot wounds.
Surrey RCMP Const. Marc Searle said investigators have
determined the shootings are not connected, although they
happened just a few blocks apart.
Police began getting calls about the first shooting, outside
the Central City Brew Pub in the 10200-block of 135th Street,
just before 2:30 a.m. Friday.
Pub staff said a dispute between patrons spilled out on
to the street.
A 29-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman were wounded
by gunfire and remain in hospital. RCMP investigators are
looking for four suspects, described as Indo-Canadian males
in their early 20s.
Police arrested a person of interest at the scene who remains
in custody, Searle said.
Surrey RCMP was called again three hours later when
the body of 27-year-old Hardev Singh Sidhu was found slumped
in an older car near 136th Street and Grosvenor Road in
Surrey.
Sidhu is believed to have been involved in the drug
trade.
He was shot to death.
Police blocked off the area for several hours and the
RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigations Team was called
in to investigate.
The apparent murder is the 32nd case of the year for
IHIT investigators who handled 33 homicides in all of 2004.
Both shootings continue the trend of gun violence linked
to young Indo-Canadian men, many of whom are involved in
gangs or the drug trade.
Almost 100 have been killed since 1990 and most of the
cases remain unsolved.
Solicitor-General John Les wrote to a Surrey newspaper
Sept. 14 to defend his government's record in dealing with
Indo-Canadian violence by forming the Integrated Gang Task
Force.
"The task force comprises 63 full-time police officers
whose efforts have resulted in charges related to several
Indo-Canadian gang homicides as well as weapons trafficking
charges and the seizure of numerous illegal weapons,"
Les said.
"To date, government has invested approximately $13
million to ensure that the task force has the resources
it needs to deal with gang violence."
Les said the B.C. government has also provided funding
to groups that are doing pro-active work by steering youth
in the community away from gang violence.
"Prevention is key, and early intervention, role-modelling
and effective communication with youth are imperative,"
Les said.
"Our multi-faceted approach to this very complex issue
will only succeed through a sustained partnership between
government, the Indo-Canadian community and police."
kbolan@png.canwest.com
