It’s been close to two weeks since a Surrey mother was beaten to death in an apparent robbery outside a hockey arena.
The anger over Julie Paskall’s homicide continues to grow and it culminated today with a rally for change at the local bus loop.
Residents from the area gathered together at the Newton bus loop in Surrey at 12 p.m. today to voice their concerns over the increasing violence in their neighbourhood.
The rally is in response to the murder of Julie Paskall who was assaulted outside the Newton arena on December 29 during a busy hockey tournament. A rock covered in bloody was found by her body and police believe the motive was a purse theft. Since Paskall’s murder, residents have demanded a safer community.
The fight against increased crime in Newton has attracted residents and those who have lost loved ones themselves to violence in other parts of Surrey.
WATCH MORE: Newton community on alert after Paskall murder
Karen Johnston’s nephew Kyle Yellowbird was stabbed to death in Guildford while crossing the street. A driver allegedly pulled out a knife after he almost ran into Yellowbird and his friends. No charges have been laid.
“I came to voice my concern with all the violence that’s gone on this past year,” Johnston told Global News. “I had a loss back in Guildford, my nephew was murdered in a double stabbing.”
“It’s getting to be bad and then it dies off after a few months… then no one raises any concerns.”
Surrey RCMP Inspector Bruce Stuart says they’ve assigned extra foot patrols as well as asking officers to spend time coming through the area or if they have paperwork to write up in their car to spend to do it in Newton.
Currently no arrests have been made in death of Julie Paskall.
~with files from Darlene Heidemann
Comments