POLICE want to know more about Ravinder Samra, 28, who they say was one of two victims of last Saturday’s exchange of gunfire in the 18600-block of Highway 10 in Cloverdale and who was also a victim of a shooting earlier in the ongoing low-level drug trade turf war that began last March in Surrey.
Surrey RCMP announced at a press conference on Monday: “Samra remains very uncooperative with police. Police have learned that Samra was at the Cactus Club in Langley just prior to the shooting. We are hoping that anyone who was at the Langley Cactus Club and may have information relating to Samra could give police a call.”
Police released surveillance photos of Samra to the media. Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner along with Acting Surrey RCMP Officer-in-Charge, Superintendent Manny Mann, and Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit – BC (CFSEU) Insp. Joanne Boyle addressed the media.
The shooting on Saturday, June 13 was the “18th connected shooting” of this drug war. Surrey RCMP patrol officers were immediately dispatched to the area after receiving several reports of shots having been fired Shots were fired shortly after 10 p.m. Officers found evidence that a shooting had occurred.
Two residences were struck by bullets, but no one was hurt in the homes. Surrey RCMP were advised by a regional hospital that two males arrived there with gunshot-related injuries. Both males had non-life-threatening injuries. They remained in a regional trauma hospital where they were treated for their injuries. The hospital was placed on lockdown as a safety precaution.
Reports received by police stated that the shots had been fired between two vehicles, a white or light coloured SUV and a silver Pontiac Vibe. The SUV was located by police, but police are still looking for the other vehicle.
POLICE also announced that the June 8 (Monday) shooting in the parking lot of Earls Kitchen + Bar at 7236 120th Street in Surrey on Monday night was related to the ongoing drug war.
Police said: “Investigators are still attempting to gather information from the uncooperative victims. During video canvas police have encountered some businesses that require police to obtain a search warrant to seize their video, which adds a delay to the investigative process as a separate warrant has to be drafted for each business.”
On June 8 at about 9:08 p.m., police received reports of shots fired in the parking lot of the restaurant and recovered evidence confirming shots had been fired. Witnesses advised that the suspect vehicle may have been a silver SUV type of vehicle which fled the area immediately after the shooting. Two males, who had been eating at a nearby restaurant, appeared to have been the intended targets and fled the area in a blue vehicle before police arrived.
There has been no evidence of injuries and the two males thought to have been targeted did not report the incident to police. There was minor damage to an exterior wall.
POLICE said that the two men who had been injured just before 10 p.m. on Friday (June 12) in a shooting outside of a home in the 5700-block of 152nd Street in Surrey have non-life threatening injuries and are expected to make a full recovery.
They said that the owner of the home is known to police and added: “This shooting is not believed to be linked to the on-going shooting series of low level drug dealers. Investigators believe that this shooting was not a random act and was targeted.”
Police learned that a dark-coloured sedan fled from the area immediately after the shooting occurred.
Global News reported that the father of one of the victims told them that his 36-year-old son was sitting on their front porch after a day of painting when a car drove up and shots were fired.
There were bullet holes all over the walls of the house. Several bullet casings lay on the ground. A witness told CTV that he heard what was probably a round of a semi-automatic.
ANYONE with information on any of the shootings is asked to call the tip line at 604-915-6566 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
– VOICE REPORT