Abbotsford shooting has 'all the earmarks' of targeted shooting

A weekend shooting in Abbotsford appears to have all the signs of a targeted, "gang-related" shooting, police say.

A man driving an SUV was shot in a residential area in the early hours of July 23.

"It certainly has all the earmarks of what we would consider gang-related," said Cst. Ian Macdonald of the Abbotsford Police. 

"We believe there is a targeted component to this."

Police said they hope to learn more after speaking with the 23-year-old victim who remains in serious condition in hospital.

Officials said the man was at the wheel of an SUV stopped at an intersection in a residential neighbourhood near Blue Jay Street and Cardinal Avenue around 2:10 a.m. PT when he was shot numerous times. 

Police said it appears the injured man attempted to drive away, but crashed, ending up on Jodi Garneau's front lawn.

"We heard what sounded like five or six sudden fireworks and then a crunch and then the power went out and there was a huge flash of light ... and then a horn and then sirens," Garneau said. 

Neighbours anxious

"My hope with gang activity is they keep to themselves, as opposed to random violence," said Garneau. 

"But my house could be mistaken for somebody else's," she added.

Bullet holes were visible in the windshield of the man's Cadillac Escalade.

Neighbours in nearby homes were also rattled by the shooting on their quiet street. 

"Everybody scared, everybody scared right now," said Inderjeet Sidhu.

History of gang violence

 Abbotsford has been no stranger to gang violence over the past few years.
  
 "A week ago, a month ago, six months ago shootings everywhere," said Sidhu.

"[I] think everybody is scared, kids growing up here."       

Last summer, an innocent senior citizen was caught in the crossfire.

"A man was standing by his fence and he ended up being a fatal casualty of a shooting we believe is part of gang conflict," said Cst. MacDonald.