More than a year after Bikramdeep Randhawa was killed in a Delta, B.C. parking lot, police say they’re “confident” mistaken identity is to blame.
The off-duty BC Corrections officer was shot and killed in a Walmart parking lot on May 1, 2021. To date, no charges have been laid in the case.
After extensive interviews and more than 300 follow-up tasks in the investigation, Delta police also said they’re “confident” they have identified suspects in the homicide.
“Investigators believe that Mr. Randhawa’s killers mistook him for an individual involved in the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict,” Delta police wrote in a Tuesday news release.
“This investigation is active, and the Delta Police have been working with other partnering agencies to hold those responsible for this murder accountable.”
Asked whether charges may be laid soon against the possible suspects, Sgt. Gary Koonar said in order to secure charges, there must be enough evidence to meet the threshold of charge approval. The investigation is ongoing, he added.
Randhawa was 29 years old when he was killed and had worked at the Fraser Regional Correctional Centre since 2016, according to BC Corrections.
The organization said at the time it was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy. Shortly after his death, more than 100 people attended a vigil in his honour.
“He was just a loving guy,” Randhawa’s brother Dupinder said at the May 7, 2021 candle-light ceremony. “I don’t know how this thing happened to him. I’m still in shock.”
Randhawa was taking additional courses with the goal of becoming an RCMP officer before he was killed, his brother added.
— With files from Jon Azpiri