Two suspects seen running from Surrey gurdwara after deadly shooting
We are learning new details about the high-profile killing of prominent community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara.
Homicide teams say the gurdwara president was shot multiple times while in his vehicle as he was driving out the rear exit on 122 Street. He was leaving the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara following evening prayers, and many other worshippers were nearby at the time.
@BCSikhs/Twitter
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Unit has taken over the case and revealed Wednesday they have a description of the people who might have been responsible.
Two suspects are believed to have left the area on foot and into Cougar Creek Park, where they may have gotten into a vehicle at 121 Street and 68 Avenue. It’s believed another driver was waiting to help the suspects escape, IHIT suggested.
IHIT
They are described as heavier-set males who were wearing face coverings. No arrests have been made as of Wednesday afternoon.
Investigators provided a map of the area in hopes of appealing to drivers who were travelling in that Newton neighbourhood and might have dashcam video to come forward.
Reporting live from the RCMP Headquarters, latest update on the murder case of Bhai Hardeep Singh Nijjar. IHIT update is about to begin, & it seems they are on the brink of unveiling crucial info regarding the potential route taken by the suspects. Stay tuned as we bring you more… pic.twitter.com/510xDJR2TC
— Sarbraj Singh Kahlon (@sarbrajskahlon) June 21, 2023
“Specifically those individuals who drive vehicles with onboard cameras. Vehicles such as Teslas have excellent cameras that are capable of recording movements in their surrounding areas even if the vehicles turned off and no one is inside the vehicle,” IHIT Sgt. Timothy Pierotti said.
“The vehicle itself might have recorded critical evidence that could help advance our investigation,” he added.
Sukhwant Dhillon/AM 600 Sher-E-Punjab Radio
Sukhwant Dhillon/AM 600 Sher-E-Punjab Radio
“Specifically, those individuals who have vehicles who drive vehicles with onboard cameras.
vehicles such as Tesla’s have excellent cameras that are capable of recording movements in their surrounding area even if the vehicle is turned off,” Pierotti said on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old’s death shocked the community and many mourners remained outside the crime scene for hours overnight near 70 Avenue and 120 Street in a vigil for the prominent figure.
However, the death has also led to wide speculation and unverified theories from publications based in India, where Nijjar was apparently accused of terrorism in connection to his activism for Khalistan, a separatist state in Punjab.
Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey on June 19, 2023. (Daily Hive/Nikitha Martins)
The RCMP and IHIT previously revealed investigators would be in talks with Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in this case, but would not confirm reports that Nijjar had been threatened recently.
IHIT did not provide more details about a possible motive on Wednesday.
“I can’t speak to specifically what we have looked at,” Pierotti said.
With files from Nikitha Martins and Amanda Wawryk
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