Homicide investigators called to gas station in Maple Ridge, B.C.

People living in a rural corner of Maple Ridge were jolted awake by a fatal shooting overnight.

Homicide detectives have been called to investigate a shooting that left one person dead at a gas station Wednesday morning in Maple Ridge, B.C.

Mounties were called to reports of a shooting near 246 Street and 124 Avenue shortly after midnight.

Responding officers discovered an unresponsive man suffering from apparent gunshot wounds inside a vehicle at a Petro-Canada station in the 24000 block of Dewdney Trunk Road.

“Despite life saving measures the individual did not survive,” according to a statement from the Ridge Meadows RCMP.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken conduct of the investigation with assistance from the local RCMP.

No suspects have been arrested, and authorities have not said whether they believe the killing was targeted.

“Police are currently in the evidence gathering phase; no further information will be provided at this time,” the RCMP statement said.

The area where the first shots-fired calls came from is a quiet rural street with single-family houses on large lots.

A woman living in the area told CTV News she heard gunshots and the sound of speeding cars during the night.

“I heard what sounded like about a set of five backfires. It was off in the distance,” said Denise Harrington, who lives closer to the gas station where the body was found.

She said things were quiet for about an hour or more, and then she heard three more loud bangs much closer to her home.

“So we shut all the windows and doors and everything,” Harrington said.

Police were carefully examining the dark-coloured sedan with visible bullet holes at the gas station before hauling it away on a flatbed truck.

Authorities have not identified the victim.

Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact IHIT at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or [e-mail].