Langley community remembers victims of 2022 shooting
Posted July 25, 2023 10:48 pm.
Residents gathered Tuesday at the Langley Vineyard for a community barbecue in memory of the victims and survivors of a deadly shooting one year ago.
“On behalf of the Wynn family we’d like to thank everyone for their thoughtfulness over the past year and coming out today to recognize not only the celebration of Paul but to spotlight mental health issues,” said a spokesperson for the family of Pau David Wynn.
On the morning of July 25, 2022, residents woke up to an emergency alert warning them of multiple shootings in downtown Langley.
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Three dead, including suspect, after Langley shootings
Over the span of a few hours, police say a 28-year-old suspect shot four people in different parts of the city and township. Two men were killed — Paul David Wynn and Steven Furness — and two other people were injured.
Paul David Wynn, 60 (left), and Steven Furness, 43 (right), were killed in a series of shootings in Langley on July 25, 2022. (Courtesy: IHIT)
A motive for the shooting was never publicly revealed.
The two men who were killed were experiencing homelessness, and the co-founder of Kimz Angels, a Langley outreach program that supports unhoused people, says that violence has had a lasting effect on the community.
“There’s a lot of fear in Langley… It seems like it just happened yesterday. People are still talking about it,” said Kimberly Snow. “A lot of our homeless are very, very concerned. Most of them are hiding now — we don’t see them on the streets.”
The suspect was shot and killed by police, the BC Independent Investigations Office found the officer’s actions to be “justified and necessary” upon review.
“We need to do stuff daily, not just their anniversary,” said Snow. “Something needs to be done. We need more housing, we need more people to collaborate and do something about mental illness.”
At the Township of Langley’s council meeting Monday they had a moment of silence for the victims, and a councillor played “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipe.
