A 30-year-old man from Surrey is recovering after being shot by an unknown assailant Wednesday night.
Three men were in a garage in the 8200 block of 150 Street looking at a bicycle one of the men just bought.
Just before 11 p.m., a man about 5'6" approached, wearing a black balaclava and black hoodie, and began shooting at the group of men, striking one of them in the abdomen. The injured man, who lived next door, is expected to make a full recovery.
No one else was injured.
The gunman left on foot, but the sound of squealing tires was heard shortly after.
None of the victims have any known criminal or gang connections.
RCMP Cpl. Drew Grainger said the men are being fully cooperative, but don't know much about the shooter.
"It happened so quickly, and to their surprise, they just couldn't believe they were being shot at," Grainger said.
He added any motive, or even a case of mistaken identity, is yet to be determined.
"We know as these investigations unfold, there's typically a reason, and they are typically targeted," Grainger said. "(However), mistaken identity is certainly a possibility."
While the shooting has some of the earmarks of some gangland shootings in the last week, Grainger said there is no tangible connection.
"At this time, there's no link at all," he said.
Neighbours in the area said Thursday it's great during the day, but the women say they wouldn't hazard walking through the area at night.
Central to the neighbourhood's problem is continuous drug dealing neighbours say is going on in Morningside Park, which is right across the street from the shooting.
Another woman said the area is rife with marijuana grow operations, which invite a criminal element.
They have called police about both issues, but say that nothing seems to have been able to shut down either problem.
Grainger said there's a special park initiative primarily on weekends targeting people drinking or dealing drugs in parks, including Morningside. "In the Guildford area we have a special group of officers who do work on an overtime basis to detect and apprehend those in drinking and drug type activity," Grainger said.
He also noted that grow ops are an issue throughout the region and that Surrey RCMP are pouring significant resources into disrupting the practice in this city.
The Surrey RCMP urge anyone with information to contact the Major Crime Unit at 604-599-0502 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS to remain anonymous.