Surrey,/ Newton ( Rajeev Sharma): Surrey police are investigating a fresh case of suspected extortion related violence after a business in the Newton neighbourhood was targeted in a shooting early morning Wednesday, underscoring growing safety concerns for business owners across the region.
According to the Surrey Police Service (SPS), officers responded to a shots-fired call at approximately 2:10 a.m. in the 8000 block of King George Boulevard, near 80th Street. When police arrived, they found the front of a business damaged, with multiple bullet holes visible in the windows. No one was inside at the time, and no injuries were reported.
The business operates in a busy commercial stretch that includes restaurants, a gas station and a hotel. While SPS has not officially named the targeted location, the area includes Bojhan Sweets and Restaurant, which sustained visible damage. In a news release, police confirmed the incident is being investigated as a suspected extortion-related shooting, the latest in a troubling series of similar attacks across Surrey and neighbouring communities.
Extortion crimes have surged in Surrey, Abbotsford and Delta, particularly affecting business owners in predominantly South Asian communities. Police data shows more than 100 extortion complaints were reported in 2025 alone, with dozens involving gunfire at homes and commercial properties a pattern that has raised alarm among residents and business leaders.
The SPS Major Crime Section has taken over the investigation and is working to identify those responsible and determine whether the shooting is linked to other recent extortion cases. Police are urging anyone with information including security camera footage, dashcam video, or eyewitness accounts to contact the Surrey Police Service non-emergency line at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca, quoting file number 26-4396 (SP).
Authorities say community cooperation will be critical as they continue efforts to curb the rise in extortion related violence and restore public confidence in affected neighbourhoods.
