‘Hallmarks of gang shooting’: Vancouver police say Fairmont hotel homicide victim had history

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Vancouver police will not yet confirm if a brazen daylight shooting in the city’s downtown core was linked to the Lower Mainland gang conflict.

Amandeep Manj was found dead in the the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel parkade in Vancouver Wednesday afternoon.

Crime scene tape went up outside of the high-end hotel near the Vancouver Convention Centre around 3:30 p.m., after a witness, believed to be a worker at the hotel, found the 35-year-old victim and called police.

Early Thursday morning, a burned-out vehicle was found near Charles and Penticton streets in East Vancouver and police say they are still trying to confirm whether it’s linked to the homicide.

“It has all the hallmarks of a gang shooting,” VPD Const. Tania Visintin said. “To say that it’s connected to the current Lower Mainland gang conflict … we’re still not sure.“

No arrests have been made.

It’s unclear who else Manj may have been with at the time of the deadly shooting. A man with the same name as the victim was mentioned by Vancouver police about a decade ago, indicating he had been charged in connection with a crackdown on gang violence.

“There is a history with [the victim] with this lifestyle, but to say if … he’s an active member right now, that’s something we are looking into,” Vistintin said.

VPD is on scene of a shooting at the Pacific Rim hotel, police confirm it happened in the parkade. @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/AXqZRaSkfh

— Crystal Laderas (@CrisLaderas) September 16, 2021

She says there is often some kind of retaliation to targeted shootings, though “whether this happens or not, of course, we can’t speculate.”

“But that can pose as a significant risk to the public,” she added.

Police say the time and location of the killing is very concerning, considering the area is very popular with tourists.

“We know there were a lot of people in this area. It was broad daylight on a nice sunny day,” Visintin said, adding no one else was hurt.

No one has been arrested after the fatal shooting at the Fairmont this afternoon in #Vancouver. The victim was a man says @VancouverPD @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/ZbFPpbnD0C

— Ashley Burr (@AshleyBurr_) September 16, 2021

The VPD is asking anyone who was in the area at the time, or who has daschcam footage from the lot to contact investigators.

“Our investigators will be speaking with people passing by, speaking with the hotel staff, and we really want to reach out to the public.”

This is the city’s 13th homicide of 2021.

Anyone with information is urged to call 604-717-2500, or submit anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers.