The Surrey Police Service (SPS) says a victim sent to hospital in critical condition after shots were fired at a home on Sunday is believed to be the first extortion-related injury in the city this year, amid a rise in crime.
The shooting occurred shortly before 3 a.m. PT Sunday at a home in the 13000 block of 103-A Avenue.
Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said a vehicle pulled up to the home and shots were fired into the structure before the vehicle and the people inside drove away.
Several people were in the home when he was shot, Houghton said.
The victim, a woman in her 20s, was hit by a bullet while she was sleeping in the house, police said. First responders gave her life-saving treatment before she was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
Police later updated his condition to stable.
First extortion-related injury
“I believe this is the first injury related to one of our extortion-related shootings conducted so far in 2025,” Houghton said.
The SPS says 56 extortion-related cases and 31 related shootings have been reported in the city so far this year.
Police say people or businesses from predominantly South Asian communities are receiving threatening demands for money through letters, phone calls, text messages or social media.
“The level of violence is certainly unacceptable to us and should be to everyone,” Houghton said. “We are working around the clock not only to prevent further incidents, but also to identify the suspects.”
Police have not announced any arrests or suspects in this latest case. Last week, the SPS announced charges against seven men in three separate cases.
Surrey has launched an extortion tip line in the hope of helping authorities solve crimes.
The city also has a $250,000 fund to reward informants who provide extortion information that leads to convictions.
The SPS said the fund is one of the largest police rewards in Canadian history. The hope is that a significant cash reward will motivate people to come forward to investigators with information about the extortions and those behind them.
“Everyone has the right to live and work without fear, and we need anyone with information to come forward before someone is hurt or worse,” the city said in a news release when the fund was announced in mid-September.
A new provincial task force has also been formed to address the growing number of extortion threats and shootings against the South Asian community in British Columbia.
