Two teenage boys have been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 16 stabbing death of Paul Prestbakmo in a South Surrey parking lot.

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Integrated Homicide Investigation Team officials announced the charges B次元官网网址� against a 15- and 16-year-old B次元官网网址� at a press conference this afternoon (Thursday) at the Surrey RCMP detachment.

Both teens have been in custody since Aug. 22, for breaching court-imposed conditions on a separate matter, IHIT spokesman Sgt. Frank Jang told media.

At the press conference, Jang said the murder B次元官网网址� which police describe as an unprovoked attack B次元官网网址� was not related to gang violence. He described the age of the two charged as B次元官网网址渢roubling.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 shocking. Fortunately, we donB次元官网网址檛 hear about young people charged with these kinds of offences every day. But certainly when you hear about that, especially in our community, itB次元官网网址檚 very shocking,B次元官网网址� Jang said.

Jang said police believe Prestbakmo and the two youths knew each other B次元官网网址渢o some degree,B次元官网网址� as Prestbakmo was a well-known member of the South Surrey and Semiahmoo First Nation community. He said police do not believe that it was a stranger-on-stranger attack.

B次元官网网址淧aul Prestbakmo, 45 years old, worked as a mechanicB次元官网网址�B次元官网网址� Jang said. B次元官网网址淢y understanding is that he was, in those early hours, taking out the garbage and went for a smoke. Then, he was subsequently murdered. ItB次元官网网址檚 a tragic case.B次元官网网址�

Due to their age, Jang said there is little information police can share about the two accused.

Surrey RCMP Cpl. Elenore Sturko said RCMP has increased its presence in the South Surrey area to B次元官网网址渉elp restore the communityB次元官网网址檚 feelings of safety.B次元官网网址�

She, along with Jang, credited the development in the case to witnesses who came forward following an appeal by police and PrestbakmoB次元官网网址檚 family.

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B次元官网网址淐oming and bringing information to investigators can not only help solve a crime today, but can prevent one tomorrow,B次元官网网址� Sturko said.

Prestbakmo, 45, died in a parking lot at the southwest corner of 18 Avenue and 152 Street. Police flooded the area after receiving reports of a man found bleeding just before 3:30 a.m. Officers found Prestbakmo B次元官网网址渦nresponsive with serious injuries.B次元官网网址�

In a statement released Thursday, Jang said the charges would not have been possible without the B次元官网网址渢ireless effortsB次元官网网址� of IHIT investigators B次元官网网址渢o secure and compile evidence for charge approval.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎 violent incident like this has significant impacts on both the victimB次元官网网址檚 family and the surrounding community, as their sense of safety is upended,B次元官网网址� Sturko added in a news release.

B次元官网网址淚t is our sincere hope that the quick conclusion to this investigation will bring a measure of comfort to both Mr. PrestbakmoB次元官网网址檚 family and to the South Surrey community.B次元官网网址�

aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
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