Homicide investigators have confirmed the woman who was shot last week in North Vancouver has died of her injuries.
On Tuesday, Cpl. Frank Jang of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirmed the death of 32-year-old Burnaby resident Ngoc Mai (Anita) Nguyen.
Nguyen was rushed to Lions Gate Hospital April 2 with “non-survivable injuries” after being shot in a parking lot behind businesses in the 1100 block of Lonsdale Avenue and had been on life support. Nguyen died several days ago, Jang confirmed.
Friends of Nguyen described her as a “really sweet” person who loved to cook and was a devoted single mother to her three-year-old daughter.
Nguyen was working for a North Vancouver food preparation business that operates out of the back of one of the businesses in the Masonic Temple building and delivers meals around the Lower Mainland. The back door of that business opens on to the parking lot where Nguyen was shot and it is believed she was arriving at work when the shooting happened.
Police said Nguyen’s killing was targeted.
On Tuesday, homicide investigators also released photos of Nguyen’s vehicle, a Volkswagen Passat – which had been behind police tape in the parking lot following the shooting. Investigators are appealing to the public for dash cam videos or any other type of video surveillance footage from the area of the shooting between 9 a.m. and 12 noon to further the investigation.
“Detectives continue to relentlessly pursue Anita Nguyen’s killer and we need the community to partner with us in solving her murder,” said Jang. “She was a young mother and we are working hard to find answers for her family.”
Police have appealed to Nguyen’s friends and associates – particularly those with knowledge of her whereabouts in the days and hours before the shooting – to contact homicide detectives.
So far no arrests have been made in the case.
Anyone with information can call 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or email ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or solvecrime.ca.
