I can’t even imagine what it was like to be at the Scottsdale Centre Mall in North Delta last Saturday.
A sunny afternoon, with the mall and parking lot full of families getting groceries or enjoying a bite to eat on a patio turned into a nightmare in mere seconds when shots rang out.
Patrons were locked inside stores while a yet to be identified gunman, targeted a Surrey man, 29-year-old provincial corrections officer Bikramdeep Randhawa.
I live in a condo complex just two blocks from Scottsdale Centre. I frequent that area often.
What if I had been there when the shots rang out? What if I had my young niece and nephew with me or any other of my family members?
It’s something that I don’t want to think about, but it is a sad reality that is now forever etched in my mind. This really hits too close to home.
Since Friday there have been five shootings in the Lower Mainland, three of them fatal. And with three more fatal shootings last month, that now makes eight in the past four weeks.
Most of the shootings have been directly connected to the gang conflict, while others appear to be random attacks.
By the good grace of God no bystanders have been caught in the cross-fire – at least not yet.
These incidents are spiraling out of control. Law enforcement seems powerless to stop this, despite all their best efforts and resources. It begs the question, is the provincial and federal governments providing police the resources they need to put an end to this violence?
Tuesday morning, DPD Chief Neil Dubord and Mayor George Harvie held a media briefing, where among other things, updated the public on the investigation and to reassure residents that Delta is a safe community.
After Saturday night I really have to wonder if this is true.
