Canadian police have confirmed that a 28-year-old man of Indian origin was shot and killed in what investigators describe as a targeted attack in Burnaby, an incident they believe is connected to the ongoing gang conflict in British Columbia.
According to a statement issued by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the shooting took place shortly before 5:30 pm local time on January 22, near the 3700 block of Canada Way in Burnaby. Emergency calls reporting gunfire prompted an immediate response from frontline officers, who arrived at the scene to find a male victim suffering from critical, life-threatening injuries. Despite urgent and sustained life-saving efforts carried out at the location, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police further revealed that within minutes of the shooting, officers discovered a vehicle fully engulfed in flames in the 5000 block of Buxton Street, several kilometres away from the original crime scene. Investigators are now treating the burned vehicle as directly linked to the homicide and believe it may have been used by the suspect or suspects either before or after the attack.
The case has since been taken over by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, which formally identified the victim as Dilraj Singh Gill, a resident of Vancouver. In an update, investigators stated that the evidence gathered so far strongly suggests the shooting was deliberate and targeted. Police added that Gill was known to law enforcement and that the killing appears to have a direct nexus to the broader BC gang conflict.
Commenting on the incident, Freda Fong, a sergeant with IHIT, said the attack has caused significant concern due to its public nature. She noted that shootings in public spaces are deeply disturbing not only for police but also for community members, as they create fear and insecurity in otherwise routine public settings. She emphasised that information from witnesses and individuals who were in the area at the time of the shooting would be critical to advancing the investigation and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.
Investigators are working in close coordination with the Burnaby RCMP, the Lower Mainland Integrated Forensic Identification Service, and the BC Coroners Service to reconstruct the sequence of events. Forensic teams are collecting and analysing evidence from both the shooting location and the site where the burned vehicle was found.
Police believe the suspect or suspects fled the area immediately after the shooting and may have used the vehicle later discovered on Buxton Street as part of their escape. As part of the investigation, IHIT has issued a public appeal for witnesses and video evidence that could assist in identifying those involved.
Authorities are specifically seeking dashcam or CCTV footage recorded between 5:00 pm and 6:30 pm on January 22 along Canada Way, from Boundary Road to Willingdon Avenue, as well as footage from the Buxton Street area near Royal Oak Avenue and Forglen Drive. Investigators are also requesting any video captured earlier, between 4:30 pm and 6:00 pm, near Canada Way and Laurel Street, spanning the stretch between Boundary Road and Gilmore Way.
Police have urged anyone with relevant information to contact IHIT directly or to submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers. Officials confirmed that the investigation remains active and that further updates will be shared as new information becomes available.
