Man dead after 4th deadly gang-related shooting in Metro Vancouver in 12 days

A man is dead after a shooting near a park in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday, prompting the fourth investigation into an unsolved, gang-related shooting in Metro Vancouver in recent weeks.

Shots were heard in Steveston Community Park near the area of Garry Street and Fentiman Place around 8:30 p.m. PT, according to Richmond RCMP. People who overheard the shots called police.

Officers arrived to find a man with gunshot wounds. The man, who has since been identified as Anees Mohammed, later died in hospital.

Mohammed, 29, lived in Vancouver and had connections to the ongoing gang conflict in the Lower Mainland. His death is, again, believed to be targeted.

"This incident happened at 8:30 p.m. in a public park, close to a community centre, where people walk their dogs and children come out to play. The actions that these individuals did ... to put [the public] in danger is completely unacceptable," said RCMP Const. Kenneth Lau.

RCMP could not confirm if anybody was in the park at the time of the shooting.

4th gang-related shooting in 2 weeks

Mohammed's killing is the fourth deadly shooting in Metro Vancouver in 12 days. All are believed to be targeted hits.

Gary Kang, 24, was shot several times at his home in the Morgan Heights neighbourhood of Surrey, B.C., early Wednesday morning. Kang had extensive ties to gang activity in the Lower Mainland, as have members of his family.

Jang said it is too early to definitively say Mohammed's death was retaliation for Kang's death.

"We're looking into that as well," Jang said.

Pressed as to why RCMP have not been able to stop the ongoing gang conflict and rash of killings, Jang said blame doesn't lie with the police.

"[The public] should have confidence in IHIT because we've solved these types of incidents before. I can go on and on about the efforts that go on behind the scenes that's happening, but I can't take you into the police headquarters," said Jang.

"We'd like to be everywhere before these things happen. Unfortunately, we can't be everywhere. Instead of blaming the police, blaming it on anyone else, let's blame the people who are actually behind the trigger — the people who are pointing the gun in our community ... putting our community at risk," he continued.

Jang also called on witnesses, as well as family and friends of those involved to call police.

"Let me tell you this, these people don't care about your safety, they don't care about my safety, they don't care about the young person walking the streets of Richmond," he said.

In late December, two more people were killed in Surrey in a pair of shootings just 24 hours apart.

Harman Singh Dhesi, 19, died after he was shot on Dec. 27. He was also known to police.

Tequel Willis, 14, was shot as he stepped out of a taxi on Dec. 28. His family believes the teenager was set up.