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13-year-old girl shot in the back

Police say gunman found dead in teen's burning home
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A 13-year-old shooting victim is transported to a waiting air ambulance in Guildford on Friday morning.


A 13-year-old girl was shot in the back while fleeing from her Guildford home Friday morning.

Police say the girl fled from the home in the 15700 block of 90 Avenue and ran two blocks before she was helped by emergency medical personnel.

Police then responded to a fire at the home, where they discovered the body of a man, who Mounties believe is responsible for shooting the girl.

She is currently listed in stable condition in hospital.

Police found the body of a man in his 30s, who they believe was the one who shot the girl. He was found in her home, which was on fire. It's believed the man suffered a gunshot wound, but his cause of death won't be known until an autopsy is complete.

Friends say the wounded teen, Anna Nguyen, has lived in the home for about four years and attended Woodland Park Elementary School.

Nguyen's mother was on scene Friday as the house burned, visibly shaken by what she was seeing. It was her initial impression that Anna was still in the home.

She said she believed Anna was there alone.

Moments later, an RCMP officer came and got Anna's mother, saying she needed to join her daughter at Royal Columbian Hospital.

Anna is described by friends as a "funny" girl, well-known for her sleepover parties and sense of humour.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, but police initially feared someone was still in the home.

Emergency Response Teams descended on the home checking for anyone else.

The SPCA was on hand to remove a pit bull and a Rottweiler from the home.

Area resident Joise Pontes described the neighbourhood as extremely quiet, especially the Nguyen home.

"I've never seen or heard anything from them," Pontes said, adding Friday's events were disturbing. "It's sad, very sad. I feel so insecure now."

The Surrey RCMP Major Crime Unit is investigating.

kdiakiw@surreyleader.com