Investigation of Surrey slayings covers 10-block radius

Homicide investigators continued to scour an area Wednesday within 10 blocks of a Surrey, B.C., building where six men were killed, as provincial politicians demand tougher sentences to deter gang violence.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team began a search at The Stanley at 10082148th Street Tuesday, looking for evidence such as weapons and pieces of clothing, said Cpl. Dale Carr, a spokesman for the investigation team.

Police have not made any arrests as of Wednesday, he said.

Police raided a 16th-floor unit and continued to comb through the apartment grounds, taking awaygarbage bins from the underground parking garage, as well as from nearby Green Timbers Park on Wednesday.

"This is an extraordinary case which calls for extraordinary measures," Carr said Wednesday. "We've basically drawn a circle around an area and do an exterior search of that complete area."

The six men, two of whom were innocent bystanders, were found dead last Friday inside Apt. 1505 of Balmoral Tower at 9830 East Whalley Ring Road, which is a few blocks from The Stanley. The killings, police say, are the product of the combination of guns, gangs and drugs.

Nearby residents should expect to see groups of police officers combing the area in the next few days,Carr said.

The police search so far has "found articles, but we are not prepared to discuss any of the evidence that we locate," Carr said.

Tougher sentences for gang violence: solicitor general

Meanwhile, British Columbia Solicitor General John Les is calling for tougher sentences to deter gang violence such as the killings in Surrey.

People who commit multiple homicides should be sentenced for every killing, Les said in Victoria Wednesday.

"In this particular case when the perpetrators are brought to justice I expect what will happen is they'd be charged [and] they'll be sentenced as if they'd committed one murder, not half a dozen," Les said. "I think that is wrong."

Those convicted of multiple slayings should be serving consecutive rather than concurrent sentences, said Mike Farnworth, New Democratic Party MLA, who's the opposition critic of public safety and the solicitor general.

"One right after the other, one for every person that was murdered and it could be applied in this case but in other cases as well," Farnworth said.