Targeted Shooting Kills 28-Year-Old in Burnaby: Police Seek Dashcam Footage

A targeted shooting on Canada Way in Burnaby Thursday afternoon killed a 28-year-old Vancouver man with suspected gang ties. Police are asking residents with dashcam or security footage from the area to come forward.

By Cindy PetersonPublished: January 23, 2026

A man died after being shot in broad daylight on Canada Way in Burnaby Thursday afternoon, prompting a homicide investigation and heightened police presence in the usually quiet neighbourhood.

Burnaby RCMP responded to multiple reports of gunfire near the 3700 block of Canada Way just before 5:30 PM on January 22, 2026. When officers arrived, they found a male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts by first responders, the man died at the scene.

Shortly after the shooting, police located a vehicle on fire in the 5000 block of Buxton Street. Investigators believe the burned vehicle is connected to the homicide.

The Victim

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) identified the victim as 28-year-old Dilraj Singh Gill of Vancouver. According to police, Gill was known to law enforcement, and investigators believe the incident was a targeted attack with links to ongoing gang conflict in British Columbia.

IHIT stated they do not believe there is an ongoing risk to public safety, though the investigation remains active and complex.

What Police Are Looking For

IHIT is asking anyone with dashcam footage, CCTV recordings, or eyewitness information from the area to contact investigators. Police are particularly interested in footage or information from two specific zones between approximately 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM on January 22.

The first area of interest is Canada Way from Boundary Road to Willingdon Avenue, where the shooting occurred. The second is Buxton Street near Royal Oak Avenue and Forglen Drive, where the burned vehicle was discovered.

Witness information can be submitted directly to IHIT at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or via email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.

What Residents Heard

Several residents in the area reported hearing what sounded like fireworks or multiple loud pops before realising the severity of the situation. Some described feeling shaken by the incident, noting that the neighbourhood is usually peaceful and that daytime shootings in public areas are uncommon in Burnaby.

Canada Way is a busy arterial road connecting Burnaby to Vancouver, with regular traffic during evening rush hour. The shooting occurred during a time when many commuters and local residents would have been in the area.

Gang Violence Context

This targeted shooting fits a pattern of gang-related violence that has affected Metro Vancouver over the past several years. When police describe an incident as "targeted," it typically means the victim was specifically chosen rather than randomly selected, and the shooting was planned rather than spontaneous.

The connection to gang conflict suggests this was part of ongoing disputes between organised crime groups operating in British Columbia. These conflicts have resulted in multiple shootings across Metro Vancouver, often in public places and sometimes involving innocent bystanders.

IHIT's assessment that there is no ongoing public risk reflects their belief that the shooting was directed at a specific individual with gang connections rather than a threat to the broader community. However, shootings in public areas always carry risk of unintended harm to bystanders.

What This Means for Community Safety

Incidents involving firearms in public areas understandably affect residents' sense of security, even when police state there is no ongoing threat. While Burnaby generally maintains lower crime rates than some neighbouring municipalities, targeted shootings remind residents that gang violence can occur anywhere in Metro Vancouver.

Situational Awareness

Being mindful of your surroundings remains important, especially in areas where you observe unusual activity. This doesn't mean living in fear, but rather maintaining basic awareness of your environment when walking, driving, or going about daily routines.

If you hear what sounds like gunshots (often described as loud pops or sounds similar to fireworks), move away from the sound and call 911 immediately. Don't investigate or approach the area to see what happened.

Reporting What You See

Even small pieces of information can be crucial in homicide investigations. Dashcam footage showing vehicles in the area, security camera recordings capturing people or cars near the scene, or eyewitness accounts of unusual behaviour all help investigators piece together what happened.

Many residents hesitate to contact police because they think their information isn't significant enough. Investigators would rather receive information that turns out to be irrelevant than miss a crucial detail because someone assumed it wasn't important.

Avoiding Speculation

In the wake of violent incidents, rumours and speculation spread quickly on social media platforms. Information shared without verification can create unnecessary panic or spread misinformation that hinders investigations.

Rely on verified police updates and established news sources for accurate information rather than unconfirmed reports circulating on community Facebook groups or neighbourhood apps.

Community Response

Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley commented that while such incidents are rare, they deeply impact community confidence and highlight the importance of both strong policing resources and public cooperation in investigations.

The shooting occurred in a mixed commercial and residential area where many Burnaby residents live, work, and commute. The proximity to busy Canada Way means many people would have been nearby when the shooting occurred, making witness information particularly valuable to investigators.

Understanding Targeted Shootings

When police describe a shooting as "targeted," several factors typically apply. The victim is known to law enforcement, often with previous involvement in criminal activity or gang associations. The shooting location is usually related to the victim's routine or known locations rather than randomly chosen.

There is often evidence of planning, such as surveillance of the victim or coordination between multiple suspects.

The use of a getaway vehicle that was later burned is consistent with planned gang violence. Burning vehicles destroys forensic evidence including fingerprints, DNA, and any materials that could connect suspects to the crime.

These elements distinguish targeted shootings from random violence or crimes of opportunity. However, even targeted shootings create public safety risks because bullets don't distinguish between intended targets and innocent bystanders, and shootings in public spaces endanger anyone nearby.

Safety Considerations for Burnaby Residents

If you live, work, or regularly travel through Burnaby and the Lower Mainland, several basic safety practices can help you respond appropriately to emergencies.

Keep emergency contacts readily accessible. Police, fire, and paramedic services should be one touch away on your phone. In Metro Vancouver, 911 remains the primary emergency number for immediate threats or incidents requiring police, fire, or medical response.

Use trusted news sources and official police channels for updates about ongoing incidents or investigations. Burnaby RCMP and IHIT provide verified information through official channels, while social media posts may contain speculation or incorrect details.

Consider participating in community safety programs. Local neighbourhood watch groups and community safety forums help residents stay informed and connected. These programs provide information about crime trends in your area and create networks of neighbours who look out for each other.

IHIT Investigation Continues

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team handles major homicides and gang-related murders across Metro Vancouver. IHIT works alongside local police departments like Burnaby RCMP but operates as a specialised unit focused specifically on complex murder investigations.

Gang-related homicides often take months or even years to solve due to the reluctance of witnesses to come forward, the destruction of evidence by suspects, and the complexity of gang structures and rivalries. Many gang murders remain unsolved because witnesses fear retaliation or refuse to cooperate with police.

This investigation remains active, with IHIT appealing for public assistance in gathering evidence and identifying suspects. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact IHIT directly rather than assuming someone else has already reported what they saw.

Reporting Information to Police

If you have dashcam footage from the Canada Way corridor between Boundary Road and Willingdon Avenue on January 22 between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM, contact IHIT even if you don't think you captured anything significant. Investigators can review footage to identify vehicles or people that might not seem relevant to you but could be important to the investigation.

Similarly, if you have security camera footage from residential or business locations near Buxton Street where the burned vehicle was found, submit that footage to investigators. Cameras that captured vehicles entering or leaving the area during the relevant time period could help identify suspects.

Eyewitnesses who saw anything unusual in either area, including people acting suspiciously, vehicles driving erratically, or individuals fleeing on foot, should contact police with descriptions and timeline details.

Contact IHIT at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or email ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca with any relevant information.

The Broader Pattern

This Burnaby shooting is part of a broader pattern of gang violence affecting Metro Vancouver. While specific gang conflicts and rivalries evolve over time, the fundamental pattern of targeted shootings, burned getaway vehicles, and victims known to police repeats across multiple incidents.

Understanding this pattern doesn't make individual shootings less concerning for the communities where they occur, but it does provide context for why police describe incidents as "targeted" and why they often state there is no ongoing public risk even after violent crimes.

For Burnaby residents, the key takeaway is that while gang violence can occur anywhere in Metro Vancouver, most residents are not at risk of being targeted in these conflicts. The risk comes primarily from being in the wrong place at the wrong time when a targeted shooting occurs in a public area.

Maintaining awareness, reporting suspicious activity, and cooperating with police investigations all contribute to community safety even if you're not directly affected by gang violence.

What Happens Next

IHIT will continue investigating the shooting and the burned vehicle, working to identify suspects and build a case for charges. This process typically involves reviewing all available evidence, interviewing witnesses, analyzing forensic evidence from both crime scenes, and tracking the movements of potential suspects.

Gang-related murder investigations are complex and time-consuming. Public cooperation through witness statements and video evidence submission significantly impacts investigators' ability to solve these cases and bring suspects to justice.

Burnaby RCMP will maintain increased presence in the area where the shooting occurred to reassure residents and gather additional information from the community.