Port Moody gang member had been followed for a while: expert

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PORT MOODY (NEWS1130) – The founder of a Lower Mainland gang was gunned down yesterday in the middle of the day, in a busy area of Port Moody. The brazen nature of the shooting has one criminologist believing we will see an increase in gang violence, and it could be public.

SFU’s Rob Gordon says Randy Naicker, founder of the Independent Soldiers gang, has been targeted before. That was about three years ago. This time, the shooter hit his mark.

“They plan it out so that there is the maximum probability for escape. At the same time, making sure they actually do get the target. In many respects, it is a sign of increasing professionalism as they are getting better and better at doing it,” says Gordon.

He also believes gang members aren’t in a hurry when it comes to taking down their mark.

“They followed this fellow around for a while and plotted his movements and then having done that, they choose the moment.”

Several gang-related murders this year have happened in public places. Gordon believes it’s just a matter of the right time for criminals.

“Most of the guys who are doing the shooting are creatures of opportunity,” notes Gordon. “They find times and places where their target is going to be most accessible to them. I don’t think any of this has to do with public displays of domination.”

He believes retaliation is expected.

“If the question is, ‘are we going to see more of this?’ The answer is yes. But that would be the answer anyway because underlying all of this is the illegal drug trade.”

He claims police need to keep on these cases and the public can’t get complacent because public shootings are still very dangerous.

“People say, ‘well it’s just a bunch of folks involved in illegal drug trade, taking it out amongst themselves, let them get on with it.’ What we have to remember is that, in fact, innocent folks do get hit,” explains Gordon. “Not only that, but also it brings the whole system of criminal justice into disrepute.”

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