"This kind of gunplay is rare in the resort area."
A notorious member of the Canadian Brothers Keepers Gang was assassinated in broad daylight at the ski resort town of Whistler, British Columbia.
Two gunmen shot Meninder Dhaliwal, whose family operates a $16 million a year drug and arms trafficking group.
His friend Satindera Gill, who apparently has no crime affiliation, was also killed.
The shooting happened outside the Sundial Hotel.
Dhaliwal died at the scene while Gill was rushed to hospital. However, he succumbed to his gunshot wounds.
The community around Whistler Mountain was temporarily locked down.
Police have arrested five people, including Gursimran Sahota and Tanvir Khakh. The pair have been charged with first-degree murder.
The investigation is still ongoing but police say the double murder was part of a gang conflict between Brothers Keepers and another crime group called United Nations.
A car set on fire in the 3300-block of Ptarmigan Place was related to the murders.
Sergeant Timothy Pierotti said:
“As a result of the dynamic response and rapid evidence collection by officers, Sea-to-Sky RCMP were able to locate and apprehend multiple individuals.”
Businesses and residents locked their doors and were told to remain there until police gave the all-clear.
RMPC Inspector Robert Dykstra said:
“Brazen, for sure. Dangerous, for sure. Anybody else could have been hurt in that [shooting].
“This kind of gunplay is rare in the resort area.
“Whistler is a very safe community. A lot of visitors come here every year.
“Violent crime is something that we don’t see very much in Whistler, so it’s shocking to see this happening in such a public area in our community.
“Obviously, we’re concerned and we’ll be investigating this.”
According to Canadian police, Dhaliwal was a known member of the Brothers Keepers, which is involved in guns, drugs, extortion, kidnapping, murder and car thefts.
In April 2021, a French-Canadian gunman was charged with the murder of Meninder’s brother Barinder.
Meninder allegedly chased the suspect for several blocks before catching up with him and stabbing him in the eye. He was never charged.
In May 2022, the Organised Crime Agency Columbia issued a public warning about 11 men, including Meninder Dhaliwal, who they said posed a “significant risk to public safety”.
Police said: “Police agencies throughout the Lower Mainland are aware of several conflicts involving numerous crime groups that have resulted in murders and attempted murders in recent weeks in public places. Police are expecting the violence to continue and escalate.
“Police believe that anyone with, or in the proximity to these individuals may be putting themselves at risk.”
According to police, Indo-Canadian crime groups are among the third largest in Canada, behind biker gangs and Vietnamese triads.