A man is dead after a brazen shooting at a popular fast food restaurant Aldergrove Tuesday night.
Police converged on the McDonald’s restaurant at 56th Avenue and 264th Street at around 8 p.m.
Langley RCMP say arriving officers found a body of a person shot dead, sprawled outside the restaurant’s entrance. Nearby windows were shattered.
“The victim sustained multiple injuries and he was pronounced dead at scene,” said Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) spokesperson Sgt. Frank Jang.
“I can also tell you that a short while later, just after 8:30 p.m. the Abbotsford Police Department received a report of a burning vehicle in the area of the 29700 block of Montesina Avenue.”
Jang said the vehicle, a black SUV, is believed to be connected to the shooting and that forensic experts were now combing it for evidence.
He added that the victim, a Lower Mainland resident, was “well known to police” and had gang ties. He said police have identified the victim, but are not releasing that information pending notification of next of kin.
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Jang went on to say the restaurant was busy at the time of the attack, and that the shooters displayed a total disregard for public safety.
“There were many children and families, and that’s what’s concerning to us. 8 p.m., shortly after peak dinner time at McDonald’s, something I think all of us can relate to, having dinner with our family at a McDonald’s, and for this to happen it is unacceptable. It shows the brazenness, the recklessness of these people.”
Jang added that police understand that witnesses may have been badly affected by the attack, and said police had made victim services staff and counsellors available.
“I have had a chance to review some of the video and it is quite traumatic… It is a miracle, by God’s grace, whatever language you choose to use, that nobody else was hurt from this.”
“I can even say that it was traumatizing to me, and I’ve seen quite a few of these things.”
Homicide investigators are now appealing for any witnesses or people with dashcam video to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to call the IHIT tip line or Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.