British Columbia

Sister of teen found shot in Surrey says her 'other half' was a 'good kid' with no gang links

The family of a 17-year-old found shot says it is "broken" by the loss of a promising young mechanic who his older sister described as impossible to stay angry at over anything.

Sharon Bhangal says her brother was a 'happy soul' who 'didn't deserve to get shot'

Jassi Bhangal and his sister, Sharon Bhangal, pictured as children in an old family photo. (Sharon Bhangal)

The Surrey family of a 17-year-old found shot says loved ones are "broken inside" by the loss of a promising young mechanic.

Jaskaran (Jassi) Singh Bhangal, 17, and Jaskarn (Jason) Singh Jhutty, 16, were found dead near a rural road in Surrey on Monday.

"He was my other half," sobbed the teen's older sister Sharon Bhangal, 19.

Police said both teens had gunshot wounds and described the killing as targeted.

Neither boy was known to police. Two burned-out cars were also found the same night as the killings, that police said may be linked. They're still seeking witnesses.

The violent killing has jarred people, especially in the teens' community. Grief workers were sent to their high school where many classmates learned of the deaths.

Trying to make sense

Bhangal's sister said her brother had no enemies and didn't deserve to be shot.

"He was a good kid. Growing up, he was just a happy soul," she said, fighting tears.

"He would go everywhere with me."

Bhangal said her adventurous, charismatic brother had a large circle of friends and girlfriends.

Sixteen-year-old Jaskarn Singh Jhutty and 17-year-old Jaskaran Singh Bhangal, both residents of Surrey, were the victims of homicide. (IHIT)

He excelled in sports — karate, football, baseball and soccer — and was a skilled mechanic in an apprenticeship program organized through Frank Hurt Secondary School.

Bhangal said her car-obsessed younger brother dreamed of owning a Mustang and talked cars "all day."

As far as she knew, he'd only ever been in one fight that was settled years ago and wasn't into drugs or drinking — just friends.

"He wasn't a bad person. I just really want people to know that he wasn't involved in drugs and alcohol. That's not what he was about. If he was, then maybe the pain would hurt less. The reason that this hurts so much is because we all know that he was a good person," said Bhangal.

"You couldn't get mad at that kid."

Members of the Lower Mainland's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team are investigating a double homicide on 188th Street and 40th Avenue in Surrey. (Jesse Johnson/CBC)

Her father was quick to hand his daughter the phone, saying he was too overwhelmed with grief to speak.

"He liked everything. He was always smiling and very friendly. He was a really, really nice guy. He was not involved in bad activities. I don't know why this happened to us," said Jassi's father, Paramjit Bhangal.

"How would you feel if your son was taken away from you. They are basically dead on the inside. Their whole life is gone."

With files from Meera Bains

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yvette Brend

CBC journalist

Yvette Brend works in Vancouver on all CBC platforms. Her investigative work has spanned floods, fires, cryptocurrency deaths, police shootings and infection control in hospitals. “My husband came home a stranger,” an intimate look at PTSD, won CBC's first Jack Webster City Mike Award. A multi-platform look at opioid abuse survivors won a Gabriel Award in 2024. Got a tip? Yvette.Brend@cbc.ca