A 19-year-old actress who had a role in a popular 2011 children's film was shot to death in a parking garage near Simon Fraser University's Surrey campus early Wednesday morning.
RCMP identified the victim as Maple Batalia of Surrey. Batalia was a model and actress, and also a nursing student at SFU. She is from a Punjabi Canadian Family.
The shooting happened around 1:10 a.m. on Wednesday when police were dispatched to a parking garage near SFU's Surrey campus. Witnesses reported hearing multiple shots fired. Emergency services workers found the young woman on the third floor of the parking garage, suffering from gunshot wounds.
The girl's father, Harkirat Batalia, said his daughter had gone to school for a late-night study session with her friends. He was overcome with emotion when speaking to reporters about his daughter.
"I lost my child, I lost my child," Harkirat Batalia said through tears. "God should have taken me instead of my cute darling child. It's all over."
The elder Batalia said his daughter was considering a career in medicine, but also loved being in front of the camera. Friends and relatives who gathered at the Batalia home called the young woman "special," and said "she was going places." Twenty-five officers are devoted to the case, many of whom spent Wednesday combing the parking garage for evidence. Police dogs were also brought in to help with the search for clues.
Police towed two cars from the scene. There is no evidence to suggest the murder is linked to drugs or organized crime. Michelle Cyr, one of the victim's friends, said Batalia had recently broken up with a boyfriend. Batalia's family suggests the shooting was not random, and have an idea of the assailant's identity. South Asian Media is also discussing the identity of the suspect without naming anybody.
Police haven't revealed whether there are any suspects in the case. Homicide investigators are probing the shooting.
No comments:
Post a Comment