Jaskarn “Jason” Jhutty and Jaskaran “Jesse” Bhangal are teenage victims of double homicide in Surrey (update)

Jaskarn Singh Jhutty

THE South Asian community has been in a state of shock and bewilderment since the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team announced on Tuesday that the victims of a double homicide in Surrey were 16-year-old Jaskarn Singh Jhutty (Jason) and 17-year-old Jaskaran Singh Bhangal (Jesse), both residents of Surrey.

IHIT said they were revealing the names to further the ongoing investigation and to determine their activities leading up to the homicides.

The two, who were students of Frank Hurt Secondary School, were not known to police. So at this stage it would be inappropriate to link their deaths to drug dealing as some have. We should wait for the police to announce any further development. However, there have been unconfirmed rumours in the community that the two victims were forced into a vehicle and driven away.

Jaskaran Singh Bhangal
Photos: IHIT

Surrey Schools’ Communication Services Manager Doug Strachan told The VOICE on Thursday that the two teens had attended a few other schools, but the impact on staff and student was mainly felt at Frank Hurt. However, “everybody in the (school district) community was shocked at what had occurred,” he said.

He added: “Even when I heard the news it was shocking and I felt affected by it because it’s such young kids and dying that way is tragic in so many ways and horrifying.”

He said the school had an arrangement at the library “for students and staff to go to and just talk with each other and comfort each other as well as talk to a counsellor if they want to and it’s been full for the last two days [Tuesday and Wednesday] of students primarily.”

 

The bodies of the victims found on the roadside.
Courtesy of CTV (screengrab)

ON Monday (June 4) just after 10:30 p.m., the Surrey RCMP received a report of two bodies found in the area of 192nd Street and 40th Avenue.  When officers arrived, they found two unresponsive males lying on the roadside with gunshot wounds.  The victims were declared dead at the scene and IHIT took conduct of the investigation.

Earlier on Monday, at 9:46 p.m., the Surrey RCMP was alerted to a burning vehicle in the area of 184th Street and 29A Avenue.

IHIT said they would like to speak with anyone that has information about this vehicle.

At 11 p.m., the Surrey RCMP received a call of a second burning vehicle in the area of 177th Street and 93rd Avenue.  Investigators have determined that this burnt vehicle was a Honda Accord and would like to speak with anyone that has information about it.

It is early in the investigation but investigators believe this was a targeted incident.

“We believe there are people who have information about what happened to Jaskarn and Jaskaran last night,” said IHIT Cpl. Frank Jang.  “Please reach out and speak with IHIT so that we can hold those responsible to account.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the IHIT information line at 1-877-551- IHIT (4448), or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Should you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).