Armed suspect on the loose in shooting of Transit Police officer at Surrey SkyTrain station

SURREY (NEWS 1130) — Police are searching for an armed man suspected of shooting a Transit Police officer at the Scott Road SkyTrain Station in Surrey around 4 p.m.

He is described as a man in his 20s with dark skin, dark hair and dark stubble. He was last seen wearing a blue hoodie and white Nike runners with a large black swoosh, and is believed to be armed. Police are warning people who live in that area to turn their exterior lights on and stay inside with their doors locked.

Police have set up a tip line for anyone with information on the shooter: 604-502-6284. They’re warning people not to approach him if they see him.

Transit Police say one of their on-duty male officers was shot at the SkyTrain station, and he was transported to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

They have identified the officer who was shot as 27-year-old Josh Harms, who was on his regular patrol shift when he was shot. Police say he is in good spirits at the hospital.

TransLink closed the Scott Road SkyTrain Station because of the incident, and put a bus bridge in place from Scott Road to Gateway Stations. A police helicopter and several dozen police vehicles, including forensic trucks are in the Bridgeview area and around the SkyTrain.

Darren Grieve in the NEWS 1130 air patrol saw dozens of police cars in the Bridgeview neighbourhood — one of the biggest police presences he thinks he’s ever seen from the air.

“Maybe upwards of 40 or more police cars down at that Bridgeview neighbourhood close to the SkyTrain station,” he says. “There are emergencies at the Scott Road SkyTrain station as well, and the RCMP helicopter is now overhead trying to figure out what’s going on.”

He says when they just arrived he saw about 20 police vehicles in that neighbourhood, blocking King George Boulevard northbound, and emergency crews on scene at the SkyTrain station.

“Even as that was happening I could still see dozens of police cars coming down King George Boulevard toward the lights at 128th,” he says.

Surrey’s mayor shocked by ‘brazen’ shooting

Meanwhile, Surrey’s mayor says the shooting of the Transit Police officer is shocking, and is hoping the RCMP can catch the suspect.

Doug McCallum’s plans to scrap the RCMP haven’t changed, however.

All throughout council’s meeting, Mayor Doug McCallum’s phone continued to go off, with updates about the shooting and ensuing manhunt.

He called the shooting brazen, adding in such a crowded place, it’s lucky no one else was hurt.

“I’m very concerned about that, especially at such a public space like the Scott Road Station, that does concern me a lot,” he says.

McCallum couldn’t say identify anything that could have prevented this incident, but says he’s not backing down from his belief Surrey needs a municipal police force.

He says until Surrey has its own police, violent incidents like this could continue.

– With files from Lasia Kretzel, Marcella Bernardo, Bruce Claggett, Jonathan Szekeres

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