Eighteen-year-old Meysam Zaki was shot and killed while a passenger in a vehicle on the highway near the Kensington overpass, the Lower Mainland’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a news release Sunday morning. Burnaby RCMP said Saturday they believe the shooting has ties to the ongoing gang conflict in the Lower Mainland. Police said the incident was targeted and they do not believe there is an ongoing risk to the public. The driver of the vehicle suffered non-life threatening injuries and called 911 after the targeted shooting. Investigators said they would not release the driver’s name Sunday. Police believe the suspect vehicle, a black Mercedes Benz SUV, was found burning in the 1100 block of Eastlawn Drive, near Beecher Park in Burnaby, around 4:30 Saturday afternoon, about two hours after the shooting. “We are releasing Mr. Zaki’s name in the hope that witnesses will come forward that can help us create a timeline of his whereabouts in the time leading up to his death,” said Sgt. Timothy Pierotti of IHIT, in circulation. “The associates of Mr. Zakis or the second victim are invited to speak to the police. IHIT is committed to bringing justice for this young man’s family.” Homicide investigators are looking to speak with anyone who was traveling westbound on Highway 1 in Burnaby between 2pm and 3pm Saturday who has dashcam video. They are also interested in speaking to anyone who was in the Beecher Park area between noon and 5 p.m. Advice can be obtained by calling the IHIT Information Line at 877-551-4448 or by emailing [email protected]c.gc.ca.
