‘I have no words’: Brother of Delta mall shooting victim speaks at vigil

DELTA (NEWS 1130) — As dozens laid flowers and lit candles outside of a Delta mall where a corrections officer was killed, the victim’s brother struggled to find the words to express his loss.

A vigil was held Friday night to mourn Bikramdeep Randhawa, 29, who was gunned down outside of Scottsdale Centre last weekend. Police are still investigating the motive behind the daylight shooting at a crowded shopping centre.

Bikramdeep’s brother, Bupinder, also has no idea why his brother was seemingly targeted.

“I just feel very sad, and I have no words to say why this thing happened, and why he’s not here anymore,” he says.

“I will just pray to God that whatever happened to my brother will not ever happen to anybody else in the community, that’s what I pray.”

He says his brother’s goal when he came to Canada in 2008 was to become a police officer.

“We’re just working hard, and just trying to achieve the goals, that’s how our life is,” he explains, adding his brother worked construction before becoming a corrections officer.

“After that, the next step was RCMP officer.”

LIVE: A vigil is just getting underway in Delta tonight for the provincial corrections officer who was gunned down outside a mall last weekend.https://t.co/uHIVm7SvhU #DeltaBC #SurreyBC pic.twitter.com/nrseEXSBRh

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Bupinder is waiting for his parents to arrive from India, so the family can make plans to lay Bikramdeep to rest.

“We are the only two siblings, me and my brother,” he says, adding he was uplifted by the outpouring of support.

“The community is already helping me a lot, the candlelight vigil has been done by the community out of respect, and in his loving memory.”

Stephanie Smith, president of the union representing correctional officers, said Randhawa’s loss is being deeply felt by his colleagues.

“We are all shocked and devastated at the loss of one of our own. While the loss of any member under any circumstances is a tragedy, the public and violent nature of Bikramdeep’s death make this loss immeasurably worse, especially for the members at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre who counted him as a colleague and a friend,” she wrote in a statement issued shortly after he was identified as the victim.

RELATED: Solving public shootings a ‘top priority’ for Metro Vancouver police: Delta chief

In an update Tuesday, the Delta Police Department said the shooting had “the markings of a gang hit.” Police have also said they are looking into a range of reasons why Bikramdeep may have been killed.

“We’re looking at all possible aspects as to why this crime was committed. We will examine every potential motive thoroughly. Whether it was a case of mistaken identity, a matter related to his personal life or if there is a possibility the shooting was related to the victim’s occupation.”

No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information is being asked to call police at 604-946-4411, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Rather than having to turn over their cameras or talk to investigators if they’re not comfortable, members of the public are also able to send in photos or video through the Delta Police website.

With files from Charlie Carey and Martin MacMahon