It was 16 years ago on Thursday that one of the worst mass murders in Canadian history took place in the Okanagan.
On April 5, 1996, Mark Chahal opened fire on his estranged wife Rajwar and her family as they prepared for a wedding in Vernon.
The rampage took place at a home on Okanagan Avenue, in the quiet Mission Hills neighbourhood of Vernon. Chahal, armed with two handguns, began the shooting spree on the driveway before methodically stalking his victims through the house.
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The family had gathered for the wedding of Balwinder Gakhal, 24. By the end of the rampage, nine members of the Gakhal and Saran families were dead along with the gunman himself. The dead included the Gakhal parents, Karmail and Darshan, along with Rajwar, the would-be bride Balwinder, Kalwinder, 21, Halvinder, 17, and Jaspal, 14. Also killed were Roger and Jasbir Saran, who were visiting from Abbotsford. Their three children survived the rampage.
Permits for Chahal’s two handguns had been obtained legally, despite complaints to the RCMP by Rajwar about her estranged husband’s abusive and violent nature.
Every year, a memorial is held to remember the victims. The ceremony also aims to stamp out issues of violence against women and raise awareness about domestic violence.
The 16th anniversary of the mass slaying will be held Thursday at 6 p.m. at the memorial outside the Vernon library. Surviving family members will be present at the candelight vigil.
Harv had an amazing sense of humour and personality, she was also very smart which was an understatment she actually had enough credits to have graduated in Decemeber but she didnt want to she wanted to hang out with us. She was also a right fighter just a week prior to this Harv was standing up to the prinicple of our school becuase her brother was being wrongfully accused of something he did not do and didnt back down until it was corrected. Which gives me a sense of peace because I can only imgine that it would have been Harv on the deck giving her ex brother in law hell telling him he wasn`t welcomed here before he open fire. It been 30 years since this has happened and I miss her every day.