Stay away from funeral, police warn gang members
Last Updated: Friday, January 9, 2009 | 4:18 PM MT
CBC News
Calgary police are warning gang members to stay away from a funeral for one of their own.
Although the date of the funeral hasn't been made public, Sanjeev Mann, 22, will be laid to rest in the coming days.
He was gunned down in Bolsa, a Vietnamese restaurant, on Jan. 1, along with Aaron Bendle, whom police called an associate of Mann's. Police said innocent bystander Keni Su'a was killed outside the restaurant at Macleod Trail and 94 Street S.E. No arrests have been made.
Calgary police spokesman Kevin Brookwell said Friday that officers have been visiting known gang members this week to make sure they haven't breached their release conditions and to remind them they could be arrested if they attend Mann's funeral.
"It's quite common for conditions to include things like possession of a cellphone, but primarily it's association to other known gang members. So if they are in breach — even if it's a funeral — they will be arrested on site."
Brookwell said there will be a significant police presence at Mann's funeral, which has been deemed a high-risk event, to ensure the safety of those attending and those living in surrounding neighbourhoods.
"We have worked with the family of Mr. Mann to ensure that they have the privacy they require to grieve for their son."
Police offer chance to leave gang
The triple slaying on New Year's Day was just the latest in the tit-for-tat killings involving two Calgary gangs: Fresh Off the Boat (FOB) and the Fresh Off the Boat Killers (FK).
So far, at least 13 gang members have been killed since 2002.
Police visiting gang members this week have offered them information on how to leave the gang lifestyle, but so far no one has taken up the offer, Brookwell said.
"We truly believe that there are a number of gang members that want to get out of this lifestyle. I don't think this is what they signed up for … with the rising numbers of shootings and deaths, there are people who want out."
Police spotted and arrested a known gang member in a car on Thursday who was charged with breaching the curfew set out in his release conditions.
The man was wearing body armour, which police say is now commonplace among gang members in Calgary.
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