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British Columbia

Man dead after 2nd shooting in Burnaby neighbourhood in 9 days

One man is dead after a shooting in a residential neighbourhood of Burnaby, B.C., late Thursday, marking the second deadly attack in the area in nine days.

Police believe man in his 40s was meeting somebody in area before he was shot

Police officers on McKee Street late Thursday after a deadly shooting in Burnaby, B.C. (Ryan Stelting)

One man is dead after a shooting in a residential neighbourhood of Burnaby, B.C., late Thursday, marking the second deadly attack in the area in nine days.

Witnesses called police to the 6200-block of McKee Street just after 10 p.m. PT after hearing gunshots and cries for help, according to RCMP. Officers found a man in his 40s with gunshot wounds.

First responders took the man to hospital, but he later died. Police later confirmed the victim was44-year-old Neal Pratap.

It's believed Pratap was meeting somebody in the areabefore he was killed.

"Something went wrong, shots were fired and our victim was left with gunshot wounds," said Sgt. Frank Jang with the RCMP's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team.

RCMP responded to the shooting on McKee Street in Burnaby, B.C., just after 10 p.m. Officers said witnessed called after hearing gunshots and cries for help. (Ryan Stelting)

Jang said the shooting is not believed to be random. He said the man had had "interactions" with police, but investigators have not foundanything linking him togangs in the Lower Mainland.

"There's nothing that jumps out at us as being gang related ... it's too early to tell, but we're working on it," said Jang.

Jang said it is not clear whether the attacker left the scene of the shooting on foot or in a vehicle. Police have not found a burnt-outvehicle a hallmark of gang-related shootings since the man died.

Anybody with information is asked to call police.

Feb.3 shooting

Theshootinghappened blocks away from thepark whereChris Kenworthy, 32,was found dead from gunshot wounds onFeb. 3. The shootings have not been linked.

"Two shootings in nine days, definitely, it's concerning. It's concerning to us as well. These days we have enough to be anxious about and certainly to have a murder happen in our neighbourhood does nothing to alleviate that," said Jang.

He encouragedanxious residents to reach out to victim services if they need help.

Twelve hours before Kenworthy's death, there was also a fatal shooting in neighbouring Surrey.

No arrests have been made in any of the more than half-dozen fatal, targeted or gang-related shootings acrossMetroVancouver since late last year, including one in December that killed a 14-year-old Burnabyboy in Surrey, B.C.

With files from The Canadian Press