Abbotsford home targeted in latest extortion-related shooting

No one was injured but parked vehicles were riddled with bullets after a shooting that occurred while a family slept inside their home.

The sound of gunfire pierced the stillness of the night on a residential Abbotsford street Tuesday, jolting neighbours awake.

One man who spoke with CTV News declined to provide his name over safety concerns.

“It’s around three or four in the morning when I heard three to four gunshots. I just got scared,” he said.

According to police, it happened at 3:43 a.m. in the 2500 block of Janzen Avenue.

In the light of day, bullet holes were clearly visible in a truck and SUV parked in a home’s driveway.

Stickers used by police as evidence markers also showed another bullet hole in the garage door.

Neighbours say people were home at the time, but all occupants of the house were sleeping and nobody was injured.

“This is about the 50th incident we’ve had in Abbotsford relating to extortion events since November of 2023,” said Sgt. Paul Walker, in an interview.

“I can confirm, obviously, that this morning’s incident is connected to an ongoing extortion-related file here in Abbotsford.”

The latest incident comes as the Surrey Police Service has released updated numbers on extortions in that city.

So far this year, officers have responded to 44 different extortion-related shots-fired calls, taken 80 extortion reports from victims, and opened 101 extortion files.

Back in Abbotsford, Tuesday’s shooting was the second in a week.

At about 6:40 a.m. last Wednesday, police responded to reports of bullet holes in the window of a business in the 31000-block of King Road.

People living on the street where Tuesday’s shooting happened tell CTV News they have been aware of extortion-related shootings throughout the Lower Mainland, but seeing bullet holes on their block brings the violence too close for comfort.

“Yeah. It’s very scary. Because we have a lot of kids around this neighbourhood, so it’s definitely very scary for us,” said the same man who earlier declined to provide his name.

In response to those concerns, volunteers from the Abbotsford Police Department fanned out in the neighbourhood to speak with residents and hand out pamphlets about public safety.

Police would like anyone with information about the shooting, or dash cam or home security video, to get in touch with investigators.