Student killed in SFU's Surrey parkade

A 19-year-old woman has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting at SFU's Surrey campus parkade early Wednesday morning.

Police say Maple Batalia, a student at SFU and a model and actress, was killed after shots rang out at the parkade at 13450 102 Ave. around 1:10 a.m. PT.

The young woman's father, Harkirat Batalia, said the family is still struggling to come to terms with the loss.

"I'm like a living dead," he said. "I lost my precious jewel which I owned in Canada, the most precious thing of my life."

Batalia said his daughter had been studying with friends and was headed to her car at the end of the night.

"That's the point where this guy came out, approached, pulled out his gun," he said. "I'm worried for my family. God should have taken me."

Batalia said his daughter will be remembered fondly by those who knew her well.

"She was so talented, so soft spoken," Batalia said. "The most brilliant child ever gifted to me and taken away by God."

Victim died in hospital

According to an RCMP press release, officers found Batalia on the third level of the four-storey parkade "suffering from significant gunshot wounds."

The officers began CPR and Batalia was taken to hospital, where she died a short time later.

"Further investigation indicated that this was clearly a homicide," said Thiessen. "Investigators are attempting to determine if this is a targeted homicide."

Police have not said if there are any suspects in the case.

"We understand the public may be concerned that we're not able to provide more information regarding the reasons behind this shooting, but it's simply too early in the investigation to make any further statements."

Police don't believe SFU students on the Surrey campus are at risk, he said.