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F RIDAY , O CTOBER 22, 2010
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What Next?
RAFE ARNOTT RArnott@abbotsfordtimes.com
Informative justice forum still leaves more questions than answers
F
rustration, anger and disbelief played across faces of people packed into Abbotsford’s Matsqui Centennial Auditorium Tuesday night for a town hall meeting about the ongoing investigation into the Surrey Six slayings. Steve Brown, brother-in-law of murdered gas fireplace repairman Ed Schellenberg, organized the event to draw attention to the fact that Tuesday marked the three-year anniversary of the notorious mass murders, and there was still no trial date set. “Each time a judge Schellenberg, 55, fails to grasp the and Chris Mohan, 22, were both innocent enormity of a violent bystanders executed act and chooses on Oct. 19, 2007 along with known gang assorehabilitation rather ciates Edward Narong, than punishment, the 22, Corey Lal, 21, Lal’s 26-year-old brother victim becomes the Michael, and 19-yearproverbial lamb being old Ryan Bartolomeo a Surrey highrise. sacrificed on the altar inAbbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich spoke of rehabilitation.” at the forum as a member of the three– Wallace Craig retired judge man panel, which also included Brown and retired provincial court judge Wallace Craig. Each spoke about the criminal justice system in British Columbia, sentencing issues, escalating gang violence in the province, and answered questions from many visibly upset audience members. Six men have been charged in the Surrey murders, including Abbotsford’s Jamie Bacon, and the case brought the Fraser Valley’s organizedcrime issues to the forefront of the news in the province. And while arrests to the Red Scorpion gang’s hierarchy, in the form of Jamie, Jonathon and Jarrod Bacon, broke that gang’s hold on drugs in Abbotsford, the vacuum left has been filled by a resurgent gang known as the Duhre brothers. see FORUM, page A16
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Alexander Murray of Mission spoke out against organized crime during the town hall meeting on the Surrey Six case at Matsqui Centennial Auditorium at Abbotsford City Hall Tuesday night. Murray said gangs and drugs are dragging British Columbia down, and police need to seek out new solutions to deal with the growing problem before it gets worse.
Gangster costume no treat at bank
Woman’s car swarmed by cops after 911 call RAFE ARNOTT RArnott@abbotsfordtimes.com
A
n Abbotsford woman’s gangster Halloween costume got her swarmed by officers after someone mistook her for an armed robbery suspect and called 911 Monday
Rick Barkwell, FMA
Financial Advisor 604-851-4292 rick.barkwell@raymondjames.ca
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afternoon. what looked like First reported @ T h e w o m a n abbotsfordtimes.com a handgun on was sitting with her lap and alerta man in a car parked outside ed the police, APD Const. Ian a financial institution in the MacDonald said. 2600 block of Clearbrook Road Squad cars were on scene around 3:30 p.m. Monday when within minutes. someone exiting the bank “Given the proximity to the noticed her style of dress and police department, and the
fact we’re dealing with a gun call, we sent three units right away, the first unit arrived in 65 seconds,” MacDonald said. Lu c k i l y f o r t h e w o m a n , he added, the first officer to approach the vehicle realized it was not a real firearm, otherwise things could have played out very differently. see COSTUME, page A19
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