Three Indians, Including Teen, Arrested in Canada Over Extortion-Linked Shooting

Three Indian nationals, including a teenager, have been arrested in Canada and charged in connection with a shooting incident linked to an alleged extortion attempt, police said.

The suspects were taken into custody in the early hours of Sunday, and their identities were made public on Monday after charges were filed. They have been identified as Harjot Singh, 21, Taranveer Singh, 19, and Dayajeet Singh Billing, 21.

All three have been charged with one count of discharging a firearm into a place. They have been remanded in custody until Friday. Police said that, as foreign nationals, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has also been informed.

Shooting Incident in Surrey

The incident occurred shortly before 4 am on Sunday in Surrey, British Columbia, when officers on patrol received reports of gunfire and a small fire outside a residence.

Personnel from the Surrey Police Service, the Lower Mainland District Integrated Police Dog Service and the Delta Police Department responded to the scene. Police later located a suspect vehicle in the area, whose occupants fled on foot.

The suspects were apprehended shortly afterward while attempting to leave in a rideshare vehicle, according to a police statement issued on Monday.

Firefighters extinguished a small blaze near a fence on the property, preventing further damage. While the fire caused no major harm, the house — which was occupied at the time — sustained damage from gunfire. No injuries were reported.

Investigation and Background

The Surrey Police Service’s Major Crime Section has taken over the investigation.

Police said officers were patrolling the area as part of Project Assurance, an initiative launched in response to a rise in extortion-related crimes in Surrey and the wider Lower Mainland region.

The arrests come a week after two other Indian nationals were detained in the same city in connection with a separate extortion-linked shooting.

In that case, Harshdeep Singh, 20, was charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and occupying a vehicle while knowing a firearm was present, while Hanspreet Singh, 21, was charged with occupying a vehicle with knowledge of a firearm.