Murder charge laid in Burnaby shooting, innocent bystander injured

BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – Charges have been laid after a 19-year-old was shot and killed in Burnaby on Saturday.

The man, identified as Toni Dalipi, was leaving a business in the area of 6th St. and 13 Ave. around 7 p.m. when someone shot him several times.

Dalipi was taken to the hospital and later died.

.@BCRCMP Assistant Commisioner Dwayne McDonald addressing safety concerns given shootings recently have been very public. Says officers are united/committed to keeping public safe; today’s charges are example of what they can do. Says gang life ends two ways: jail or death. pic.twitter.com/jeQZY8bkn8

— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) May 10, 2021

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says a 20-year-old man has since been charged with first-degree murder.

“Later that evening, a second man arrived in hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators determined that he was in the same immediate area as our victim at the time of shooting,” IHIT Officer-in-Charge Superintendent Dave Chauhan said Monday.

“What I can tell you is that this individual is an innocent victim, and he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

The innocent bystander’s injuries are non-life threatening and he is expected to recover fully.

The shooting was the first of two over the weekend on the Lower Mainland, and among 10 in the past three weeks. It came before a deadly shooting at Vancouver International Airport on Sunday, again in daylight.

“Similar to other recent acts of violence in the region, this was a brazen, daylight shooting and upsetting to the community,” said Chauhan. “We share the concerns and are committed to solving each and every case.”

Burnaby RCMP Acting Officer-in-Charge Graham de la Gorgendiere echoed these concerns.

“As police, we share your anger and your frustration,” he said, adding he was also troubled that an innocent bystander was hurt.

“What happened this weekend is immensely troubling for all of us and it’s simply not acceptable,” de la Gorgendiere said, hoping locals could find some comfort that an arrest had been made and charges had been laid.

Addressing recent violence

BC RCMP Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald says while many of the incidents have been targeted, they’ve increasingly been taking place in more public, busy areas.

He says police agencies across the region have been and will be working together to address the increased violence.

“I can’t tell you when the gang conflict will stop, but I can tell you and I do know with certainty that if someone remains in the gang lifestyle, it stops in one of two ways: jail or death. It’s as simple as that,” McDonald said.

Investigators could not provide specifics on the gangs involved in recent conflict across the region.

However, RCMP Assistant Commissioner Manny Mann, who is the chief of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC (CFSEU-BC), notes younger people are joining gang life.

“Over the years, as these gang conflicts have continued, there’s been more and more groups being formed, which has resulted in more conflict, more people being involved. And another trend that we’re seeing is there’s more youth that are involved with gangs, whether they’re currently in criminal activity, they may have ended up as victims or suspects,” he explained.

Assistant Commissioner Manny Mann, lead of BC’s anti-gang agency says he can’t get into specifics of which gangs are involved but says over years more gangs have formed, more youth getting involved. Says they are working on strategic/coordinated enforcement plan. pic.twitter.com/RQuzO2ONDD

— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) May 10, 2021

Mann says the CFSEU is working with partners and that the public can expect “to see a much more visible police presence in their communities.”

He is pleading for people to report any suspicious people or vehicles they may see in their neighbourhoods.

Problem isn’t with policing, it’s with the courts, says victims’ advocate

One victims’ advocate says it is disheartening to see this level of violence play out on our streets.

Eileen Mohan’s 22-year-old son Chris was one of the innocent bystanders killed in the Surrey Six shootings back in 2007. She feels criminals have become emboldened by a lenient court system.

“If you’re a criminal, it’s a good time to be in British Columbia. I say that with a broken heart because, in my case, we had really hardcore criminals who cut sweetheart deals with the courts of British Columbia,” she said.

Mohan says there needs to be a federal approach to enforcing laws.

“Throwing money into just giving RCMP more powers, more equipment will not curb gang violence,” she insisted.

As for the police, Mohan thinks they are doing the best job they can under the circumstances.

With files from Paul James