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㽶ƵֱFurious㽶Ƶֱ Surrey mayor will push Horgan for increase on provincial funding for crackdown on gangs

Linda Hepner says she is 㽶Ƶֱembarrassed㽶Ƶֱ after 㽶Ƶֱthugs㽶Ƶֱ shoot innocent bystander, a 64-year-old woman from Ontario
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SURREY 㽶Ƶֱ Mayor Linda Hepner is 㽶Ƶֱashamed㽶Ƶֱ that an in Surrey on Sunday.

㽶ƵֱI just felt so embarrassed,㽶Ƶֱ she told the Now-Leader. 㽶ƵֱWe do such good work, we have such outstanding people living here and all the good things that happen and then these thugs put such a stain on Surrey. I think they㽶Ƶֱre vile. I don㽶Ƶֱt know what other word to use for them.㽶Ƶֱ

Hepner said she contacted the victim, a 64-year-old woman from Ontario. She was 㽶Ƶֱgrazed㽶Ƶֱ by a bullet, police say, suffering superficial injuries. The shooting happened in the 7700 Block of 147A Street at around 3:30 p.m.

According to Staff Sgt. Dale Carr, the RCMP believe that the intended victims took off in a black Hyundai missing a front bumper while the suspects were seen leaving the area in a red pick-up truck. The red truck was later found on fire in the 9000 block of 150th Street. Witnesses reported that two men were seen running away.

Hepner described the victim as a 㽶Ƶֱgentle spirit㽶Ƶֱ with a 㽶Ƶֱkind demeanour.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱYou could tell it was horrible for her and it㽶Ƶֱs horrible for all of us.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱReally, I just wanted to call her and see, first of all, how she was doing and secondly to tell her that was not reflective of the City of Surrey generally. I utilized the scenario, that look at the tens of thousands of people we had in the (FVDED in the Park) concert over the weekend without a single incident. This was totally unacceptable from my perspective.㽶Ƶֱ

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Hepner said she㽶Ƶֱs 㽶Ƶֱfurious.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱWe㽶Ƶֱve seen our crime rate go down tremendously and then we have this single incident that throws us back into that arena of people being frightened and into that arena of a reputational stain and it just angers me beyond belief. They all need to be behind bars as far as I㽶Ƶֱm concerned and quite frankly, I㽶Ƶֱll do whatever I can to make sure that happens.㽶Ƶֱ

Hepner said police are making this file a top priority and are 㽶Ƶֱworking around the clock㽶Ƶֱ to find those responsible .

㽶ƵֱI know they㽶Ƶֱve got some good leads,㽶Ƶֱ she added. 㽶ƵֱI have every belief that we㽶Ƶֱll get them. But it㽶Ƶֱs just the fact that now we need to keep them.㽶Ƶֱ

The mayor said she wants to see provincial funding increased for cracking down on gangs.

㽶ƵֱI intend on talking with our Premier-Designate (John Horgan) as well as our local MLAs to see what it is that they can help with relative to this provincial issue. I would㽶Ƶֱve said a Lower Mainland issue around gang suppression, but I think with what we㽶Ƶֱre seeing now throughout the province we㽶Ƶֱre going to have to throw more money at gang units.㽶Ƶֱ

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Hepner said there were cuts to the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit several years ago and it㽶Ƶֱs time to look at reinstating that funding.

㽶ƵֱThat㽶Ƶֱll be the first thing on my agenda, is it time to bump that up again?㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱThe issue is what do you do with these creatures once you get them? There is absolutely no sympathy from me for somebody who does that on the street㽶Ƶֱ I think to end up in such a way that you have zero consideration for the public at large is just beyond comprehension.㽶Ƶֱ

㽶ƵֱHere we are, we㽶Ƶֱre recognized as one of the brightest cities in the world, we have some of the best events that are free for citizens㽶Ƶֱ we provide all the programs we can with recreation for those that are at-risk, we go through the process of engaging the schools and then in the blink of an eye something like this happens and it just creates such a stain on the community that it becomes irreversible for a period of time again and that㽶Ƶֱs beyond any sense of goodness.㽶Ƶֱ

amy.reid@surreynowleader.com

With files from Katya Slepian





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