Three dead, including suspect, after Langley shootings

Three people are dead, including a suspect, after multiple shootings in Langley created a scary and chaotic scene early Monday morning. The suspect was shot by police.

Two people are also hurt, one critically.

The RCMP says officers were called to several locations in both Langley City and Township. Police say the first shooting victim to be found was a woman in the area of 203A St and Fraser Highway. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

A man was then found dead at Creekstone Place. Another male victim’s body was found at the Langley City bus loop near Logan and Glover Road.

An emergency alert was sent out shortly before 6:30 a.m. to cell phones across the region, telling people to avoid the area. That alert said the shootings involved “transient victims” and said police had an “interaction” with one suspect. It also included a suspect description. The emergency alert was officially cancelled just after 3:30 p.m. the same day.

Mounties say officers found a person matching that description near the Langley Bypass and 200th Street. Another man was found at the same location, suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg. He has serious injuries.

Another alert sent about an hour after the first said the “suspect police interacted with is no longer a threat.” It urged people to continue to stay out of the area.

 

At a media availability Monday afternoon, Integrated Homicide Investigation Team spokesperson Sgt. David Lee said the shootings began overnight, around 12 a.m., six hours before the first emergency alert was issued. The first happened on Creekstone Place around 3 a.m., the bus loop at 5 a.m., and finally, near the Langley Bypass around 5:45 a.m.

IHIT identified the suspect as 28-year-old Jordan Daniel Goggin, and confirmed that he had “non-criminal contact” with police.

“First responders were handling each case, one on one. And as the scene unfolded, as we were able to piece together, there was sufficient information to issue that emergency alert,” he said. “Now we’re treating them as one investigation, now IHIT is proceeding [with the investigation] and there’s a lot of information to gather and hopefully will give you a better update later on.”

Lee said police are still trying to determine if there’s any relation between the suspect and victims, however, the language used in the alert was “that it was transient in nature, not necessarily the people.”

Lee noted the suspect was known to police but did not elaborate on whether or not his history played into the tragedy.

“It’s still too early to discuss motive. We have a lot of information to cover. We’re interviewing the suspects, family associates, and hopefully, through that information, we will piece together what happened and what transpired to this, and provide that to you at a later update,” he said.

In a statement, IHIT said the Independent Investigations Office of BC, the body which investigates police-related deaths, is now working in partnership with Langley RCMP, the Lower Mainland District Emergency Response Team (LMD ERT) and the Integrated Forensic Identification Section (IFIS), and the BC Coroners Service.

 

Speaking to CityNews, City of Langley Mayor Val van den Broek says being “heartbroken” doesn’t accurately explain how she’s feeling.

“Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to everyone affected by this tragedy and incident. We were so lucky that RCMP attended in a quick fashion, as well as the paramedics, [BC]EHS, and Langley Memorial Hospital responded as well,” she said. “Our community came together when it needed to, and unfortunately, you never want to see this happen in your city.”

Waking up to the emergency alert, van den Broek says although surprised, she was happy to see it initiated and cancelled as soon as possible.

“I think I was so in shock from receiving it, having never received an emergency alert like that before. It was surprising. I was in shock, and I immediately called the RCMP to find out what was going on. I turned on the news, and yeah, here we are now,” she said.

Everyone in the City of Langley has been affected and will be affected by the incident, she notes, adding, “I guarantee you every single citizen in Langley City was concerned.”

Working with people who face homelessness in the city, she says her heart breaks knowing the community and the people affected.

“People need to be kinder, and understand that everybody’s circumstances [aren’t] the same. People are homeless for different reasons, or disadvantaged because of different reasons. And we’re all human beings, and we all need to treat each other with respect and courtesy, whether you agree with what they’re doing or not,” she said.

“We all need to support each other and be kind to each other. So, whether it’s walking down a street and giving someone a bottle of water, or donating clothes to a shelter, or volunteering at a soup kitchen, or donating at a food bank — there are so many ways to help people out. And I know our community is great at it. I know they are.”

Van den Broek says through Langley Memorial Hospital, counselling is being offered to anyone who has been affected by the incident.

Read more: ‘Right reason to initiate warning,’ Langley City Mayor says of shooter alert

A woman who called CityNews was leaving the gym in the area of the Langley Bypass and 200th Street around the time the suspect was shot.

“I was like, wow, that’s a lot of police cars. I actually called my fiance and said, ‘Wow, there’s got to be at least 30 police cars with their lights on across the street.’ I immediately turned on the news and didn’t hear anything. Then, within 20 minutes of getting home, he texted me and was like, ‘Did you get an emergency alert?'”

She recently moved to the area and says the incident has left her feeling unsafe in her new home.

“You think you’re moving into this family neighbourhood. All of a sudden, every couple of months, there’s a shooting within a 10-minute walk from my house.

Homicide investigators have been called in, as has the Independent Investigations Office of BC. The police watchdog is called whenever someone dies or is hurt during an interaction with police.

In a parking lot across from Willowbrook Mall, a forensics tent was set up Monday morning and the area was secured by yellow police tape.

Items were strewn across 200th Street, with evidence markers next to them.

“We are asking the public to stay out of the following areas: 200 street and Langley Bypass; Parking lot of Cascades Casino located at Fraser Highway and 204 Street, Langley Bus Loop located a Logan Avenue and Glover Road.”

— Mike Lloyd ☕️ (@llikemoyd) July 25, 2022

People were urged to continue to stay out of the area “out of an abundance of caution.”

“We are asking the public to stay out of the following areas: 200 street and Langley Bypass; Parking lot of Cascades Casino located at Fraser Highway and 204 Street, Langley Bus Loop located a Logan Avenue and Glover Road.”

— Mike Lloyd ☕️ (@llikemoyd) July 25, 2022

Anyone with information is being urged to contact the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

– With files from Liza Yuzda and Kareem Gouda