Three years later, developer Amarjit Sandhu’s homicide in broad daylight in Richmond remains unsolved

Amarjit Singh Sandhu

ON June 4, 2016, developer Amarjit Singh Sandhu was shot in the Tim Horton’s parking lot in the 11300-block of Steveston Highway in Richmond. The killer was a non-white male in his early to mid-20s who escaped.

As Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) Staff-Sgt. Jennifer Pound put it at the time, the murder took place “in such a bold and brazen manner in a very public setting.”

Sandhu was a former member of the International Sikh Youth Federation and a developer who was very actively involved in Vancouver’s Ross Street Gurdwara (Khalsa Diwan Society) politics.

Amarjit Sandhu’s vehicle was riddled with bullets.
Photo courtesy CBC

Richmond News reported that a witness told them that Sandhu was killed while standing next to his black pick-up truck by a man with “an average build, light brown skin and some facial hair, wearing a hoodie and sunglasses.” The witness said that the suspect used a gun with a silencer and that he heard “at least six shots that sounded like a paintball gun.”

The witness told the Richmond News that Sandhu was with a friend just before the shooting. He added that the friend was spotted talking to police shortly afterwards.

IHIT described the killer as a male in his early to mid-20s, approximately 6 feet tall, slim / slender build, wearing a grey or light grey coloured hoodie or coat, medium to dark coloured pants and possibly wearing a baseball cap. He was non-white.

The getaway vehicle

A couple of weeks after the murder, IHIT released photos of what was believed to be the getaway vehicle and asked for the public’s assistance in identifying it. The vehicle was described as gold / silver in colour and appeared to be a Chevrolet Trail Blazer.

However, three years later, the police have yet to charge anyone in the homicide.

 

Surinderpal Hehar

ANOTHER homicide that baffles the community is that of Surinderpal Hehar, 45, a longshoreman who was a well-known field hockey promoter.

He was shot dead on November 21, 2015, at 152nd Street and 66th Avenue in Surrey just after midnight as he was headed for work with a colleague, who also sustained gunshot wounds but survived.

Will these or the dozens of other South Asian homicides ever be solved?