IHIT identify man shot dead in Burnaby, B.C., parkade, believe attack was targeted

RCMP's homicide investigators have identified the 29-year-old Abbotsford, B.C., manshot and killed in a Burnaby parkade on Saturday as Gagandeep Sandhu, and sayearly evidence suggests the killingwas targeted.

Burnaby RCMP responded to reports of gunshots shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday near LougheedShopping Centre, the detachment said in a statement.

Sandhu was found dead inside a vehicle in an underground parkade below 3433North Rd. around 5 p.m., according to a statement from theRCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on Sunday afternoon.

Soon after, RCMP received a report of a vehicle fire near Greenwood Street and Bainbridge Avenue, about six kilometres away.

Mounties discovered a black Honda Pilot SUV on fire near a treed area, which they said could be related to the shooting.

The vehicle's entire hood was burned away and the fire had melted the rubber of its tires on Saturday evening. Its windshield and at least one other window had blown out, and two doors were ajar.

IHIT has taken charge of the investigation, anddid not comment on whether or not investigators believe theshooting is related to the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict.

"Initial evidence suggests this was a targeted shooting, though the motive remains unclear," said IHIT's statement.

The homicide team said it identified the victimin hopes of advancing its investigation.

"IHIT is working closely with the RCMP's forensic experts to process both scenes and to determine if they are related," spokesperson Sgt. Timothy Pierottisaid in a media release onSunday, urging any witnesses or motorists with dash cameras near the area between 4-5:30 p.m. Saturday to contact IHIT.