Harpreet Vaid charged in 2015 pellet gun shootings in Abbotsford acquitted.

author-image
Meeshika Sharma
New Update
NULL

Video footage that showed a black Chrysler Sebring police believed was involved in a series of pellet gun shootings in 2015. [PNG Merlin Archive]

Harpreet Singh Vaid, who was charged with 14 counts relating to seven victims for drive-by pellet or BB gun shootings targeting pedestrians on July 25 and 26, 2015, in Abbotsford has been acquitted of all charges by Provincial Court Judge Edna Ritchie.publive-image

Judge noted, “Through information from the victims and witnesses and through diligent police work, a suspect vehicle was quickly identified. The police located the vehicle at Basant Motors Ltd. in Surrey and determined that Harpreet Vaid had traded in the vehicle on July 30, 2015. A search of the vehicle found hundreds of BB’s and pellets."

Vaid was arrested and charged. With respect to each incident, he was charged with discharging an air or compressed gas gun at the victim with intent to wound, maim, or disfigure. He was also charged with assault with a weapon with respect to each incident.

Ritchie said that the Crown’s case against Vaid was circumstantial.She noted: “It is clear that the victims were shot at as alleged, and that those shots were fired from Mr. Vaid’s vehicle. Video surveillance and eyewitness testimony satisfy me that the 2006 Chrysler Sebring, bearing licence number AV5 33M, belonging to Mr. Vaid was the vehicle from which shots were fired in all the incidents before me.”

Advertisment

“The Crown also submits that anyone in the subject vehicle is a party to the offences charged. The evidence proves that there was more than one occupant in the vehicle during at least some of the incidents we are dealing with. Based on the evidence that the subject vehicle slowed down and then sped off, I am satisfied that both the shooter and the driver of the vehicle were parties to the offences.

However, the judge pointed out, the real issue was whether or not there was evidence that satisfied her beyond a reasonable doubt that Vaid was in the car when any of the offences occurred.

Ritchie said: “In the circumstances before me, I am satisfied that some person or persons used Mr. Vaid’s vehicle while committing cowardly, senseless drive-by pellet gun shootings of innocent citizens of Abbotsford. The evidence about Mr. Vaid’s dog and about the dog in the car during at least some of the shootings is not definitive enough to find that it was the same animal.

“I am also satisfied that Mr. Vaid was aware of the offences having been committed when he disposed of his vehicle on July 30, 2015. It is probable that Mr. Vaid was involved in the offences but I do not think it is safe to convict Mr. Vaid on the evidence I heard. I find that there is another reasonable scenario of someone else using Mr. Vaid’s vehicle with his permission but not in his company.”

Vaid was acquitted on all counts.

Ritchie described the attacks as “cowardly” and “senseless.”

 

canada-news british-columbia-news latest-canada-news
Advertisment