The Lower Mainland’s homicide team is releasing a photo of the man who was stabbed to death in Surrey Tuesday night, in hopes of furthering its investigation.
The Surrey RCMP previously explained that police responded to a call about a fight along King George Boulevard near the 66A Avenue crosswalk just before 12 a.m. Wednesday.
Mounties explained that when officers arrived, they found a man with stab wounds. “Despite life-saving efforts from both Frontline Police Officers and British Columbia Ambulance Service, the male was declared deceased at scene,” Snr. Sgt. Tyner Gillies said in a statement at the time.
In an update on Thursday, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said officers have identified the victim as 47-year-old Surrey resident Jason Richard Gill.
“IHIT is working in partnership with the BC Coroners Service, Integrated Forensic Identification Services (IFIS), and the Surrey RCMP. From the early stages of the investigation, this incident is not believed to be linked to the BC Gang Conflict,” IHIT said in a statement.
“The preliminary investigation suggests that the two individuals were engaged in an altercation resulting in the victim being fatally stabbed. It is unknown if the two parties were known to each other or the motivation for this tragic incident.”
IHIT says the suspect was last seen running away from the area. Police describe him as being around six feet tall, and was clean shaven with sandy-coloured blond hair.
“We are in the early stages of the investigation, and investigators are working to determine the motive,” said Corp. Esther Tupper. “If you saw a male matching the suspect description in the area around the time of the homicide, please contact IHIT immediately.”
IHIT is urging anyone who has information or may have witnessed the altercation, to call the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.