SHOOTINGS LINKED TO DRUG TURF WAR

Cases Involve 'Criminals And Gangs,' But No Specific Links Yet

VANCOUVER - Criminals fighting over "drug turf" are responsible for
the shooting of four people in Vancouver in just four days, a senior
Vancouver police officer said Monday.

Two of the four victims died. The latest shooting occurred at about
9:30 p.m. Sunday when a 32-year-old Burnaby man died on the street at
Cypress Street and First Avenue in Kitsilano after being shot in the
head. Police haven't released the victim's name.

At 5 a.m. Saturday, two men in their 20s were wounded as they were
leaving an after-hours nightclub near Smithe and Seymour in downtown
Vancouver. One of the victims, a 24-year-old man who was shot in the
head, remains in critical condition in hospital.

"If he lives, he will almost certainly be a paraplegic," Deputy Chief
Doug LePard told a news conference.

Last Thursday, a 33-year-old man died after he was shot while driving
his black BMW M5 car through a west-side neighbourhood. The luxury
sports car continued through the intersection at 33rd and Arbutus and
smashed into a parked car.

In all three shooting incidents police believe the victims were
criminals who were targeted by other criminals involved in drug
trafficking. But, at this point, that's the only common denominator
they've confirmed.

"The link we have so far is that they all involve criminals and
gangs," LePard said. "Whether they are specifically linked together,
we can't say that at this point."

People involved in that part of the criminal world know "the risk of
being murdered" is part of criminal life, LePard said, but others
could be harmed.

"We are also very concerned about the potential for innocent victims
and bystanders to be hurt with this many bullets flying around," said
LePard, who would only say "multiple" rounds were fired on Sunday.

"All of you know we've had homicides in the past where innocents have
been killed: Rachel Davis, Richard Hui, Lee Matasi. . . ."

LePard did not name the Burnaby man who was shot Sunday because
relatives had not been contacted.

Asked if police were investigating the possibility the murder on
Sunday was a retaliatory shooting for the BMW murder Thursday, LePard
replied: "We will look at every possibility. We don't have any
information to suggest that right now, other than we know we do have
organized gangs that are fighting over drug turf or territory."

Vancouver police Const. Tim Fanning said criminal gangs used to be
much more low-profile in Vancouver and rarely used guns, but police
have noticed a "dramatic increase" during the past eight to 10 years
in the number of people who carry firearms.

"In gang circles, they've become as ubiquitous as cellphones," said
Fanning, a police officer for 26 years. "Some people who aren't even
involved in gangs will carry them almost as an accessory when they go
downtown. But, most of the time, it's the people involved in gang
activity -- the drug trade."

In Mission, the RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is
investigating a fatal shooting at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the 7400
block of Murray Street.

Investigators have learned that the victim -- 28-year-old Timothy
Vernon Jones -- was seen speaking to two young females just seconds
before his murder. They are described as Caucasian, with dark hair and
in their early 20s. They were seen leaving the area southbound on
Murray Street in a dark blue Honda Civic-style vehicle.

"We're very interested in speaking to these two females," said RCMP
Cpl. Dale Carr, an IHIT spokesman.

Police are also seeking information about a dark-coloured SUV that
witnesses saw speeding away when a shot was fired.

"So far, the investigation has not identified that this is a case of
someone randomly driving around the neighbourhood shooting at people,"
an RCMP release states.

Carr said it is too early to speculate about a possible motive for the
killing or establish whether the crime is linked to other shootings in
the region.

VANCOUVER SHOOTINGS

- - Feb. 22, 1:30 p.m.: A 33-year-old man crashes his car into a parked
car in the 1800 block of West 33rd Ave. after he was shot and killed
while driving.

- - Feb. 24, 5 a.m.: Two men are shot after leaving an after-hours club
in the 600 block of Smithe Street.

- - Feb. 25, 9:30 p.m.: A 32-year-old Burnaby man is shot and killed in
the 1900 block of West First Ave.

Source: Vancouver Police Department