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Murder of two young men stuns Sunshine Coast community

The murders of two young men have rocked the small community of Lund and its larger Sunshine Coast neighbour, Powell River.

The murders of two young men have rocked the small community of Lund and its larger Sunshine Coast neighbour, Powell River.

Dylan Buckle and Braxton Leask, both in their early 20s, have been identified through social media as the two young men who were killed in Lund early Saturday. Powell River RCMP were called to a home in the 1500-block Scotch Place at 5:15 a.m. after receiving a report that someone had been shot.

The two men were found dead at the scene and a third man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was released later in the day.

Charges have been laid against Jason Foulds, a 19-year-old from Powell River. Foulds is charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder with a firearm.

“Good kids, all four of them,” Powell River Mayor Dave Formosa said Sunday. Serious crime is practically an unknown thing in the area; a terrible incident like this hurts doubly hard.

“We really stress the fact it’s a safe community,” he said. “People come here because of it.”

About 300 people live in Lund and Formosa said he knows the families involved very well: “We just want folks to know everyone in Powell River is praying for these families.

“The effects of this will go on for many years,” he said. “Something went very wrong. I’m feeling for our youth, they’re grieving.”

Buckle and Leask were avid soccer players with the Vancouver Island Soccer League and the best of friends who grew up together.

Seb Strange is from Gibsons and met the pair while visiting Khartoum Lake, east of Powell River, with a group of friends.

“We met Dylan and Braxton and partied and quaded with them and they were solid kids and it blows my mind how this could happen to them. Even knowing them from just that weekend it’s sad to hear that,” he said.

Buckle’s mom, Terry Buckle, posted a photo of Dylan and commented: “Love you son.”

Of Braxton Leask, Madison Guignard wrote on Facebook: “You were such a bright, smart, funny, intelligent guy in so many ways and it’s not fair you had to be taken so soon. You never know when the last time you’ll see someone. RIP buddy, you’re loved and missed by so many.”