A 19-year-old gang associate who posed a "significant risk" to the public has been shot dead outside a mall in Mission, B.C.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says Varinderpal Gill was found dead as police responded to reports of a shooting Wednesday night in a parking lot close to a movie theatre in Mission, B.C.
Gill, who was known as “VP,” was pronounced dead at the scene.
A black pickup pockmarked with what appeared to be bullet holes remained behind police tape Thursday morning.
Cpl. Frank Jang says in a news release that Gill was known to police and investigators believe the shooting was targeted.
VICTIM IDENTIFIED: 19-yr-old Varinderpal Gill of Abbotsford was shot and killed last night around 9pm at Mission Junction Mall outside Silvercity. At 1:14am, a burning SUV was spotted in Bateman Park in Abbotsford. Believed to be connected to homicide. Got info? Call #IHIT pic.twitter.com/cKRZSqM0st
— IHIT (@HomicideTeam) October 4, 2018
Jang also says an SUV was torched in Abbotsford early Thursday morning and the blaze is believed to be connected to the homicide.
Detectives want to speak to anyone with information about either the shooting or the arson. Jang says the homicide team has released Gill's name in hopes of connecting with those who had contact with him before he died.
"This was a brazen shooting in a busy shopping complex and those responsible showed absolutely no regard for human life. Fortunately, no one else was hurt from this incident," Jang says in the release.
