A 26-year-old Vancouver man has been convicted after a two-year investigation in connection with a discharge of a firearm near Helmcken and Seymour streets that occurred after the quick actions of a Vancouver Police officer led to his arrest moments after shots were fired.
Nobody was injured in the incident.
On August 16, 2024, two Vancouver Police officers observed a man they believed was acting suspiciously in the downtown area. The officers noticed the man was wearing clothing inconsistent with the hot weather and was repeatedly checking his surroundings. One of the officers followed the man on foot. The suspect turned a corner out of view, at which time the pursuing officer heard gunshots.
Both officers immediately located and challenged the suspect at gunpoint until additional officers arrived and took him into custody.
On December 15, 2025, Harmesh Raghbir Singh Sandhu, 26, entered a guilty plea to the following charges:
* Possession of a loaded restricted firearm
* Careless use of a firearm
On September 4, 2026, Sandhu was sentenced to a global sentence of 46 months. The court also imposed a 10-year firearms /weapons prohibition, a DNA order, and a forfeiture order.
“This was a patrol-led investigation from start to finish. The vigilance and instincts of these patrol officers led to the immediate arrest of an armed suspect and ultimately helped secure this conviction.” says Constable Darren Wong.
