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Exclusive new details released in Surrey homicide, which family says was random

Click to play video: 'New details in Surrey homicide, which family says was random'
New details in Surrey homicide, which family says was random
WATCH: There are new details in the killing of a woman in her own home in a north Surrey neighbourhood over the weekend. The victim's family says it was random and, as Kristen Robinson reports, the suspect was out on probation at the time.

A homicide in North Surrey is being investigated as a possible random attack.

Police were called to the home on 182A Street at about 10 p.m. on Sunday where a woman was in medical distress. She was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.

Family and friends have identified the woman as the owner of a local landscaping company, Tori Dunn.

She founded Dunn Right Landscaping Services in 2019.

In a social media post, her father wrote that the family “cannot begin to understand how someone as kind as Tori could be victim to such senseless violence. Tori was loved by all that she met. She devoted her time and love to her friends and family, someone who lit up the room with her smile and laugh. She is loved more than words.”

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Officers flooded into the area and with the help of police dogs, a man was found and arrested nearby.

Home surveillance footage captured someone walking through the neighbourhood about 30 minutes before the call came to RCMP at 10 p.m.

Global News has learned the suspect was recently released from custody after an earlier arrest and had a lengthy and violent criminal history.

The suspect was sentenced to 31 days in jail and 24 months probation on March 28 for obstructing a peace officer and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose in Vancouver on Jan. 15.

He was then accused of two counts of robbery on April 25 and released from custody on $500 bail the next day.

Click to play video: 'Surrey homicide investigated as random attack'
Surrey homicide investigated as random attack

On June 5, the suspect was sentenced to 10 days in jail for breaching his probation in Vancouver on May 28.

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On Monday, he was charged with aggravated assault in the alleged stabbing of a woman on May 26 in Surrey.

He has not been charged in connection with Dunn’s death.

Global News has learned he has consented to remain in custody until June 25 when it’s expected a date for a bail hearing will be set.

“Despite providing the most explicit and strict directives to Crown Counsel around seeking detention in circumstances like this, we are still seeing the release of people back into the community, and they’re causing harm,” B.C. Premier David Eby said on Tuesday.

“They’re hurting people. We will continue to work with the federal government to ensure that the federal criminal code is responsive to what we’re seeing in communities.”

Click to play video: 'Homicide investigators on scene in Surrey'
Homicide investigators on scene in Surrey

Residents in the area spoke to Global News on Monday and said they saw a lot of police in the area but were unsure what was happening.

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“The only thing we saw is probably there was about 10 or 20 police cars coming. … This is a dead road so sometimes people dump garbage,” neighbour Joe Zanatta told Global News.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken over the case and is asking anyone with information to call the police.

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