Suminder “Allie” Grewal was gunned down at a Starbucks drive-through at the Southpoint Exchange Mall
Two men who murdered a 43-year-old biker have each been ordered to spend life in prison with no chance of parole for 20 years.
Justice Michael J. Brundrett delivered his oral reasons for sentencing to Calvin Junior Powery-Hooker and Nathan James De Jong in New Westminster Supreme Court on September 10.
The edited transcript was posted on the B.C. Supreme Court website on October 15. It includes gruesome details about the execution-style killing of Suminder “Allie” Grewal, widely reported to have been a member of the Hells Angels.
“While there was passing reference to Mr. Grewal being a biker, the lifestyle and character of the deceased is not legally relevant to sentencing these offenders, other than perhaps to offer some insight as to why the offence occurred,” Brundrett wrote. “However, the Court was not provided with more detail as to precisely how or why Mr. Grewal became a target for murder. I would not speculate in this regard, and it is not necessary to consider any greater context in determining the appropriate sentence.”
Fellow Hells Angels paying tribute to Suminder "Ali" Grewal, gunned down in south Surrey this morning. Two arrests have been made. pic.twitter.com/ldLKHl8sWZ
— Kim Bolan (@kbolan) August 2, 2019
The two accused were initially charged with first-degree murder. However, after discussions with the Crown, they entered guilty pleas to second-degree murder on June 11.
In the agreed statements of facts, Grewal was unarmed and the sole occupant of his vehicle when he arrived at the drive-through window of the Starbucks at Southpoint Exchange Mall in Surrey.
After Grewal ordered a latte at 9:19 a.m. on August 2, 2019, the two accused ran up to each side of the vehicle.
“Both Mr. Powery-Hooker and Mr. De Jong were wearing face coverings, all black clothing, and blue nitrile gloves,” the court decision states. “Mr. Powery-Hooker was carrying an AR-15 rifle (the ‘AR-15’), and Mr. De Jong was carrying a .40 calibre Springfield Armory Model XDM-40 semi-automatic pistol (the ‘.40 Calibre Pistol’).”
Both were restricted firearms and neither of the accused had a licence to carry them.
“When they arrived at Mr. Grewal’s vehicle, Mr. Powery-Hooker and Mr. De Jong shot at Mr. Grewal a total of 12 times through the windows of Mr. Grewal’s vehicle while Mr. Grewal was sitting in the driver’s seat,” the decision notes. “Mr. Powery-Hooker and Mr. De Jong immediately fled the area.”
The killing occurred in broad daylight with multiple civilians nearby.
“Many civilians were nearby and witnessed the shooting of Mr. Grewal or what occurred immediately before or after the shooting. The shooting of Mr. Grewal was captured on dash cam video with audio from a vehicle which was two vehicles behind Mr. Grewal’s in the Starbucks drive-thru line.”
Powery-Hooker and De Jong jumped into a nearby Lincoln Aviator SUV and drove north at a high speed on 152nd Street. Police began their pursuit at 9:26 a.m. and at 152nd Street and 74th Avenue, the Aviator crashed into several vehicles at a construction site.
Powery-Hooker fled on foot where he was quickly arrested. De Jong kept driving north through residential neighbourhoods, at time reaching speeds of 150 kilometres per hour.
“Mr. De Jong turned west on 96th Ave from 152 St at approximately 9:29 a.m. and continued driving to 138 St and 75 Ave, where he abandoned the Aviator in a residential complex at approximately 9:36 a.m.,” the decision states. “During this period of time Mr. De Jong continued to drive in a dangerous manner, which included hitting a traffic sign, driving on the sidewalk or side of the road, swerving in and out of traffic, driving at a high rate of speed, driving in opposing lanes of traffic, running multiple red lights, and ignoring police vehicles in pursuit.
“Mr. De Jong also threw the AR-I5 out the window of the Aviator while driving on a residential street. As a result of Mr. De Jong’s driving of the Aviator, the right front tire had shredded off the vehicle by the time he abandoned it.”
He fled on foot in a wooded area and was captured by police before 9:50 a.m.
“Mr. Powery-Hooker and Mr. De Jong were asked to kill Mr. Grewal and they agreed to do so,” the decision states. “They were to be financially compensated for doing so by having debts cancelled. They obtained the Aviator, the AR-I5 and the .40 Calibre Pistol to kill Mr. Grewal. They also obtained in advance the blue nitrile gloves they were wearing when they shot Mr. Grewal.”
Grewal’s sister expressed her family’s grief in a victim-impact statement. According to the decision, he was a “husband, father, family member, and friend much loved by his family and friends”.
More than 250 bikers and many others showed up at Grewal’s funeral in Delta, according to a Vancouver Sun article by reporter Kim Bolan.
Powery-Hooker was 20 years old and De Jong was 21 when the murder occurred.
The Cayman Compass reported that Powery-Hooker was originally from the North Side of the country before moving to Canada in 2004 following Hurricane Ivan.
