A 28-year-old Vancouver man with known gang links was shot dead in Burnaby on Thursday evening, in what investigators believe is the latest episode in British Columbia’s escalating gang conflict. Dilraj Singh Gill died at the scene after shots were fired near the 3700 block of Canada Way just before 5.30pm.IHIT Sgt. Freda Fong called the incident deeply concerning. “A shooting, especially in a public place, is extremely troubling, not only for the police but for the entire community,” she said, urging witnesses to come forward.Burnaby RCMP officers arrived to find Gill suffering critical injuries. Despite life-saving efforts, he could not be saved. Shortly after the shooting, a vehicle was discovered burning in the 5000 block of Buxton Street, around four kilometres away. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) later confirmed the torched vehicle is linked to the killing.
‘History of drug-related convictions’
Gill had a history of drug-related convictions. In 2021, he received concurrent sentences for trafficking offences stemming from a 2018 arrest in North Vancouver, where police found cash, crack cocaine and a heroin-fentanyl mix. Earlier convictions included fleeing police and additional trafficking charges dating back to 2016, the Vancouver Sun reported.Sources told Postmedia, cited by the Vancouver Sun, that Gill’s murder is believed to be connected to ongoing gang rivalries and may be linked to the recent killing of Navpreet Dhaliwal in Abbotsford. Dhaliwal had alleged ties to the Brothers Keepers gang and had previously been the subject of a public police warning. Court records show Gill had connections to the Kang/BIBO group, which has been in violent conflict with the Brothers Keepers and has reportedly since merged into the UN gang.Police say the shooting was targeted and that there is no ongoing risk to the public. Investigators are seeking dashcam and security footage from the Canada Way and Buxton Street areas during the late afternoon and early evening.
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