Lawyer concerned with vigilante justice after Surrey extortion victims allegedly fire back
Posted January 20, 2026 6:58 am.
Following a reported incident over the weekend, one expert fears that cases of ‘return fire’ may increase as people face extortionists south of the Fraser River.
The Surrey Police Service (SPS) began investigating after another home was targeted by “extortion-related” gunfire midday Saturday. But by Monday, the SPS confirmed to 1130 NewsRadio that it had opened a second investigation into whether one or more occupants of the home shot back at their assailants.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO 1130 NEWSRADIO VANCOUVER LIVE!No one was hurt, and no suspects have been arrested in what investigators describe as a “careless” event.
Vancouver criminal lawyer Michael Shapray tells 1130 NewsRadio he’s not surprised by what may have happened.
“People are on edge, and they aren’t satisfied with the response of law enforcement and the response from the government to this situation,” said Shapray.
“It’s probably not shocking that we’re now seeing the situations that are violent and dangerous to the people involved and the public, with gunfire being used in public settings, and taking matters into their own hands and potentially shooting back and arming themselves — creating an even more dangerous situation for everybody involved… as well as the neighbourhood.”
“As the community gets more on edge, there’s a risk that people will try and take things into their own hands and the situation will erupt even further into violence.”
He explains it’s “not unusual” for someone who’s armed to shoot back.
Shapray adds that with the investigation underway, there are still many unknowns.
“We don’t have the facts about where the people who initiated the shooting were located. Were the people in range? Is there going to be some allegation that the shots fired back were in self-defence or were they simply spraying gunfire back into the neighbourhood? Certainly, this idea that people would be shooting off rounds towards a house and then rounds come flying out of the house back, doesn’t lead to any circumstances that are good — and probably not ones that would have any legal defence.”
He says he understands that people want to defend themselves and their property, but cautions against fighting back, adding that it could lead to criminal charges.
“It could lead to all sorts of firearms charges. If people were hit, it could lead to assault with a weapon, aggravated assault, careless use of a firearm, that type of stuff.”
Shapray says he wouldn’t be surprised if suspected or confirmed ‘return fire’ happens again.
“As the community gets more on edge, there’s a risk that people will try and take things into their own hands and the situation will erupt even further into violence. And I don’t think anybody wants to see that. They want to see law enforcement bring these investigations to a conclusion and try and get through this difficult time.”
Surrey has been the hotbed for extortion. As of Jan. 19, the SPS says it’s investigating 34 reported extortions, involving 21 victims — 16 of them being repeat victims — and including seven extortion-related shots fired incidents.
There are also at least a dozen open investigations in Delta and a handful in Abbotsford so far this year.
—With files from David Nadalini and Charles Brockman
