Vancouver police name six gangsters of ‘significant risk’ to public safety

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – With a spike in deadly gang violence across the region, police in Vancouver are sharing the names and photos of known gang members, calling them a risk to the safety of the public.

Police say there have been 20 gang-related homicides in Metro Vancouver so far this year, and another 20 attempted murders. Violence, according to police, is expected to continue to escalate.

The Vancouver Police Department has named Ekene Anigbo, 22, Garinder Deo, 35, Harjit Deo, 38, Barinder Dhaliwal, 38, Meninder Dhaliwal, 28, and Damion Ryan, 41.

“I want all Vancouver residents to know the faces of these individuals and to keep their distance from them,” VPD Chief Const. Adam Palmer said.

On May 17, 2021, Vancouver police shared a poster with the names and photos of six known gang members. (Courtesy: VPD)

Palmer says investigators believe these people may be targets in the gang conflict, and an innocent bystander could get hurt or killed.

[They are a] risk to people every time they go to the gym, shopping, the grocery store, a restaurant or bar, when bars are open. These individuals pose a risk to the people around them because it’s highly likely that a rival gangster will try to target them with extreme violence,” he said.

Palmer says there are “many other” gangsters on their radar, beyond the six who have been named.

“This is not an exhaustive list. However, we felt the need to get these names and photos out right away,” he said.

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Police say a taskforce with members from the Major Crime and Organized Crime sections, as well as other groups like the gang crime unit and emergency response team, will keep patrol officers up to date with the gang conflict.

“Every single patrol officer will know every single player in this conflict. They will step up patrols in the city — specifically near the restaurants and businesses the gangsters frequent,” Palmer promised.

If you see any suspicious activity, you are asked to report it by calling 9-1-1.