Victim shot, beaten and bound at Abbotsford grow-op robbery

There was another gangland style shooting early Thursday morning in Abbotsford during an apparent robbery at a marijuana grow-op.

Abbotsford police responded to a call at about 1:45 a.m. PT from a man who said he had been shot. When officers arrived, they found the man, 42, in the driveway of a property in the 28200 block of Huntingdon Road.

He had been tied up with "zap straps," the plastic ties often used by police to bind the wrists of suspects, and had been beaten and shot in the stomach, Const. Casey Vinet said.

The victim was transported to hospital in an ambulance and was expected to undergo surgery, Vinet said.

Police searching the area with dogs found a marijuana grow operation and two other people tied up with zap straps hiding in an outbuilding at the back of the property.

The two, who were uninjured and had apparently managed to escape from the assailants, were being held for questioning, Vinet said.

"All indications are that this was a grow-rip that went bad," Vinet said.

Police are looking for at least two men who were wearing masks at the time of the shooting. A red Chevrolet Avalanche, which had been stolen from the property, was located by police in Surrey. 

Rush-hour shooting

The latest shooting follows a brazen shooting in Abbotsford in the middle of rush hour Tuesday afternoon, but Vinet said police do not believe the two incidents are related.

In that incident a gunman travelling in a car opened fire on a black Mercedes sports car near Sumas Way and South Fraser Way.

Both vehicles fled the scene, but the driver of the Mercedes bailed out of his moving vehicle a few blocks later.

"I saw the black Mercedes with no driver come across the centre median," said Keith Psajd, who was working nearby when the car came barrelling across the road. "I thought it was going to come in the front door."

The car swerved across the median and another road before crashing into some concrete stairs near a Keg restaurant.

Victim well known to police

Police said the driver of the Mercedes, who was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time of the incident, was not hurt. He was held and questioned after the crash but later released, police said.

Police did not release his identity but described him as a high-profile criminal in his 20s who was well known to police.

"We are confident that the victim's own criminal lifestyle led to this shooting," Vinet said.

A third car, not involved to the targeted shooting, was struck by stray bullets, raising concerns bystanders could have been wounded.

"Certainly, it speaks to the recklessness of the people who engage in this kind of activity," Vinet said.

Bacon brothers involvement not confirmed

Media reports have suggested the driver of the Mercedes was Jamie Bacon, 23, an alleged gang member but police would not confirm Bacon was involved.

Last October police warned the public to avoid the Bacon brothers, who had a number of death threats against them, to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Jamie Bacon and his brother, Jarrod, currently have 24 outstanding firearms and drug charges against them,

In 2006, their brother, Jonathan, was sprayed with bullets outside their parents' east Abbotsford home.