A man living in the home believed to be the intended target of a shooting that killed an innocent man last Wednesday was charged in July for allegedly brandishing a knife at another person.
A source has confirmed for the Abbotsford News that Parmvir Chahil, 19, is a resident of the home in the 3500 block of Promontory Court.
A property title search shows that the house is owned by Baljit Chahil and Hardip Padda, neither of whom have a criminal record.
Police believe the Chahil residence was the target of last week’s shooting, which killed next-door neighbour Ping Shun Ao, 74. He was struck by a stray bullet while he was in his yard.
Court records show that Parmvir was charged with uttering threats and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose related to an incident on July 24 of this year.
Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said police received a 911 call that day alleging that Parmvir had allegedly flashed a knife at another driver.
He was charged the following day.
Police began reporting more than a year ago that two groups of South Asian young men have been embroiled in a dispute which has been dubbed the “Townline Hill conflict.”
The conflict began with dozens of incidents of mischief, assault, vandalism and arson, but has escalated to include several shootings. Most have occurred in the Townline and Blueridge areas of west Abbotsford.
A previous murder took place last October, when Harwin Baringh, 18, was fatally shot while in his vehicle on Sparrow Drive in west Abbotsford.
Court documents related to the incident mention the “Chahil crime group,” but it is not known if the Chahils on Promontory Court have any connection.
Those documents were filed in December as part of a government civil forfeiture claim to seize two vehicles that were alleged to have ties to Baringh’s murder.
The records alleged that Baringh was a member of the “Chahil crime group” and that his death was part of a dispute with the “Dhaliwal crime group.”
The provincial civil forfeiture office won its claim to seize the two cars – a 2007 and a 2009 Nissan Altima – saying they had been used to “engage in a violent ongoing gang conflict” between the two crime groups.
The cars were designated to be sold at public auction, with the proceeds going toward grants for violence prevention, victim support, restorative justice programs and more.