Punjabi journalist Gurpreet Singh Sahota was shocked when he got the call Monday morning about the fatal Abbotsford shooting of businessman Darshan Singh Sahsi, whom he had known for years.
Sahota spoke to Sahsi’s neighbour shortly after the brazen execution-style attack in front of Sahsi’s home in the 31300-block of Ridgeview Drive about 9:22 a.m.
Sahota, editor of the Charhdi Kala newspaper, said that whenever he met Sahsi, “he was a very gentle person. He was a millionaire, a multimillionaire, but never showed off, and he was very helpful to the community.”
Sahota said he believes the well-liked entrepreneur was leaving for the Maple Ridge plant where he operated his textile recycling business, Canam International, when he was targeted.
Home security video obtained by Postmedia shows the shooting — Sahsi can be seen getting into a dark truck when the killer, dressed in black, gets out of the driver’s side of a light-coloured car on the other side of the street, runs across, fires, and runs back to the car and leaves.
Abbotsford Police said in a news release that patrol officers “confirmed the incident was confined to a single parked vehicle on the roadway.”
“Inside the vehicle, they discovered a 68-year-old man suffering from life-threatening injuries. Despite life-saving medical efforts of first responders, the man succumbed to his injuries,” Sgt. Paul Walker said.
“No arrests have been made at this time. The investigation is still in its early stages, and additional resources have been deployed to support efforts in uncovering the full circumstances surrounding this incident.”
He said AbbyPD’s major crime unit was transitioning the investigation to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.
No information was provided on whether the slaying could have been linked to dozens of extortion attempts across the Lower Mainland this year targeting the South Asian community.
But Sahota noted how different Monday’s shooting was from many of the extortion-related attacks where the perpetrators blast a business or home after dark, often videotaping themselves and posting online afterwards.
“If you see the pattern, they shoot at night, and they don’t attack the people, they attack the houses, the shops,” said Sahota.
Friends of Sahsi’s posted tributes on his Facebook page Monday, while condemning the violent nature of his death.
“So saddened to learn about the tragic killing of Darahan Singh Sashi. It is deeply disturbing that gun violence has taken away another noble soul,” posted one friend. “May his soul rest in eternal peace, and may his loved ones find strength and courage to bear this profound loss.”
Another said “his death means that our community lost a great businessman, plus a very helpful gentleman. … This has to stop.”
Abbotsford Police said in earlier social media post that “as a precaution, three nearby schools were briefly placed under a shelter-in-place protocol” because of the fatal shooting.
“No students were harmed or directly impacted,” Walker said.
Sahsi had spoken publicly of his successful business and life story. He immigrated to Canada in 1991 from Punjab and started his company with just a handful of employees.
It’s website said Canam has redirected “over 2 billion pounds of textile waste” and changed thousands of lives.
“Canam promotes a sustainable and safe environment by providing people in underprivileged demographics with employment opportunities and mentorship, while being treated as part of a community and the Canam family,” the site says.
Blueksy: @kimbolan.bsky.social
