The man killed in a shooting in Surrey, B.C. last week had recently moved into town and was unknown to police, Mounties say.
The RCMP identified 38-year-old Aren Alexander Smith as the victim of the March 13 homicide.
In a Thursday news release, the Integrated Investigation Team said he and his family had recently moved to Surrey and had no ties to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict.
Smith was found dead in a parked vehicle around 8 p.m. in the 2300-block of 167A Street. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.
According to IHIT, the suspect left the area in a white Ford Penske rental van.
Multiple sources told Global News on Thursday that Smith grew up in Surrey and attended Johnston Heights Secondary School, graduating in 2002.
Smith reportedly worked as a welder and lived in Alberta for a few years before returning to the area. Sources said he had two teenaged children.
A motive for the shooting has not yet been reported.
Investigators are asking anyone with security or dashcam footage of the 2300-block of 168 Street and Highway 10 near 144 Street in Surrey between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on March 13 to contact 1-877-551-4448.
Editor’s Note: This is a clarified story. A previous version stated that Smith was new in town. In fact, he had recently moved back to Surrey, with sources later confirming he grew up in the area.
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