The man gunned down near a Langley restaurant Friday night has been identified as Tyler Joseph Pastuck, a 31-year-old Victoria man, according to homicide investigators.
The shooting occurred just before midnight Friday, at the Browns Social House restaurant, on the Langley Bypass and 200th Street.
When police arrived, two men were found suffering gunshot wounds.
Pastuck was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other man, who is believed to be known to Pastuck, is in hospital suffering from life-threatening injuries, according to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), which has taken over the investigation.
The investigation is in its early stages, but police believe the shooting was targeted. No information on the deceased man is being released at this time, as next of kin has not been notified.
Shortly after the shooting, a burning car was found a short distance away, near 203rd Street and 63rd Avenue, said Foster. Police have not determined if the vehicle was linked to the shooting, but they are asking anyone with information on the vehicle to contact police.
“This was a brazen shooting in a busy restaurant putting the public at risk,” Cpl. Meghan Foster said in a press release. “We urge anyone with information regarding this shooting to contact police.”
On Saturday, yellow police tape was up around the western corner of the Rio Can Langley Centre strip mall on 200th Street and Willowbrook Drive.
Pastuck had a previous conviction for manslaughter. On Feb. 27, 2010, Christopher Smythe was savagely beaten during a party in Campbell River. Smythe died from his injuries, and Pastuck and Derek Crowther were later convicted of the attack.
Witnesses reported seeing a man being dragged by his ankles outside and “stomped on” by two or three men.
Police arrested Pastuck, found hiding in a closet behind a woman, and Crowther, who was hiding under a mattress.
Patuck and Crowther attempted a later unsuccessful appeal of their conviction. Pastuck was successful in having his sentence reduced, arguing that he should have his pre-sentence custody count for 1.5 days for every day he was held before his conviction. He spent 22 months in custody pre-sentencing, and a further four years behind bars after his appeal.
Anyone with information on the killing or the burning car can contact the IHIT information line at 1-877-551-4448 (IHIT) or by email to ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. To remain anonymous call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
The businesses behind the police tape remain closed and security personnel are on scene to prevent people from accessing the crime scene. Overnight Browns Social House posted a message on its Langley Centre page.
This is the second targetted fatal shooting in Langley in the past three months. On April 1, a man was shot and killed in the parking lot outside Sandman Inn and Moxie’s in Willoughby, adjacent to the freeway. In that case, 20-year-old Tyrell Sinnott, of Surrey, was fatally gunned down.
Another targeted shooting, that is still remembered by many in Langley, happened eight years ago outside the Brown’s Social House in Walnut Grove. In that case, Kevin LeClair, who had quit the United Nations gang and joined forces with the Bacon Brother’s Red Scorpions, was gunned down as he exited that restaurant in the late afternoon of Feb. 6, 2009.
