In a chilling revelation that has sent shockwaves through British Columbia’s law enforcement community, a provincial court judge has officially confirmed what investigators long suspected: the brazen daylight shooting at a Surrey gas station last year was a meticulously planned contract killing.
The execution-style murder, which occurred in full view of surveillance cameras and several witnesses, has been characterized by Justice Eleanor Sampson as “one of the most calculated contract killings” she has encountered in her 15-year judicial career. The victim, 38-year-old Mandeep Singh, was gunned down while refueling his vehicle at a busy Petro-Canada station on 72nd Avenue.
“The evidence leaves no room for doubt that this was a paid assassination,” stated Justice Sampson during yesterday’s proceedings at the New Westminster courthouse. “The precision, timing, and complete disregard for public safety all point to professional hitmen who were generously compensated for their services.”
Court documents reveal that Singh was struck by seven bullets fired from close range, with forensic evidence suggesting the use of a modified semi-automatic pistol equipped with a suppressor. Investigators from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) have now linked the murder weapon to three other unsolved homicides across the Lower Mainland.
RCMP Superintendent James Crawford, speaking at a press conference following the judge’s ruling, confirmed that the investigation has expanded significantly. “We’re looking at connections to organized crime networks operating throughout British Columbia and potentially across international borders,” Crawford explained. “This wasn’t a spontaneous act of violence—it was a deliberate execution ordered by someone with substantial resources.”
The ruling comes after an exhaustive 11-month investigation that included analyzing over 300 hours of surveillance footage, collecting testimony from 47 witnesses, and conducting detailed financial forensics. Evidence presented to the court showed that the suspected shooter, Rajinder Gill, received a $75,000 payment through a complex series of cryptocurrency transactions just hours before the murder.
Gill, who remains at large and is believed to have fled the country, is now the subject of an international manhunt. Two alleged accomplices, brothers Harjeet and Simran Bains, are currently in custody awaiting trial on charges of first-degree murder and conspiracy.
The victim’s family, represented by their attorney Daniel Chen, expressed a mixture of relief and continued grief following the court’s determination. “While this confirmation provides some answers, it only deepens the family’s pain to know how calculated this murder truly was,” Chen told reporters.
Financial records uncovered during the investigation suggest potential links to drug trafficking operations that have been increasingly active along Canada’s west coast. Authorities believe Singh may have been targeted after a disputed transaction involving several million dollars worth of illicit substances.
Surrey Mayor Linda Matthews has called for increased police presence in the city’s commercial areas following this confirmation. “When contract killings happen at gas stations where families stop with their children, we’ve reached a new level of public safety concern,” Matthews said at a city council meeting last evening.
As investigators continue to unravel the complex web surrounding this murder-for-hire, citizens across British Columbia are left wondering: if professional killers are operating so boldly in broad daylight, what does this mean for public safety in communities once considered immune to such brazen displays of violence?
