Nine people — including four youths — have been arrested in connection with an early morning, parking-lot shootout at a South Surrey hotel.
A desk clerk at the Pacific Inn Resort & Conference Centre told Postmedia that he phoned police just after 3 a.m. on Monday after hearing as many as 20 gunshots in the parking lot.
Surrey RCMP said the shots were exchanged between two vehicles after an altercation. One person was treated for what police termed minor injuries after being struck by flying glass.
Several people were arrested at the scene, while the rest were apprehended following a short search. Police believe the shooting was a targeted incident between individuals known to each other.
According to Kash Heed, a retired police officer and former B.C. MLA who served as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, that of the nine people arrested, five are students in Surrey schools and one of the individuals alleged to have had a gun is in Grade 8.
He said three of the accused are involved in the much-lauded Wraparound (Wrap) Program, which works with at-risk youth to help them stay out of gangs and the criminal lifestyle. The Wrap Program has received more than 500 referrals since it was launched in 2009 and works with youth aged 11 to 17.
Heed said his information about the accused youths came from someone who didn’t want to be identified, but “has close ties to at-risk youth programs.”
Heed pointed to the alleged involvement of Wrap youths in this incident as a sign that the program, which is run by the Surrey School District and involves the Surrey RCMP and City of Surrey, should be re-evaluated.
“The efficacy of the program has to be continually looked at,” said Heed. “If we do not draw attention to this issue there isn’t going to be an effective response.”
Heed said he’s not calling for the Wrap Program to be shut down, because it has had successes, but the focus should be widened to include other programs that could help at-risk youth.
“I’m saying let’s not throw all our eggs in one basket,” he said.
Surrey RCMP Sgt. Alanna Dunlop said she wasn’t prepared to go into any more detail about those arrested in connection with Monday’s incident.
When asked if any of the youths could be involved in the Wrap program, she said, “I don’t know, but even if that was the case it would be doubtful that we would (release any information) because it’s so closely related to privacy. We’re very careful under the Youth Criminal Justice Act not to identify young persons.”
The Surrey School District, which runs the Wrap Program, was also unable to comment on the accused persons’ possible involvement in the program.
“We couldn’t really identify if they were students or if they were Wrap students,” said district spokesman Doug Strachan.
— With files from Scott Brown
