Police across Metro Vancouver are bracing for possible retribution after a high-profile gangster was gunned down in his family home in South Surrey, Wednesday.
Gary Kang, 24, was gunned down in the Morgan Heights home near 161st Street and 30th Avenue around 5 a.m. About 40 minutes later a torched vehicle was found near the Langley RCMP detachment.
Kang was charged with 13 others in 2018, following a Vancouver police operation that netted more than $1.6 million in cash and jewelry, collector cars worth about $350,000, 93 guns and 59 “prohibited items” including a pressure cooker bomb.
Police also seized more than 9.5 kg of fentanyl and nearly 40 kg of other illegal drugs.
The investigation targeted the Kang/Latimer group, which police at the time described as a family criminal operation with links to the Red Scorpion Gang, including Jamie Bacon and Kyle Latimer.
Kang’s brother Sarmeet was also allegedly involved, as well has his brother Randy, prior to his murder in 2017.
Gary Kang was injured in, but survived the 2017 hit that killed his brother.
On Wednesday, police warned that Kang’s slaying, which investigators believe was targeted, could be met with reprisals.
It was the third fatal shooting in Surrey in two weeks.
“Although the motive behind each of these deaths has not yet been determined, there is one commonality among the three victims, they were all involved in criminal activity,” said Surrey RCMP Sgt. Elenore Sturko.
“If you are involved in gangs in Metro Vancouver, you may be in danger.”
Police, including Surrey’s gang unit and the provincial Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit said Wednesday they were deploying extra resources in anticipation of possible retaliation.