Police identify victim of suspicious fatal fire in Surrey; investigators probing connections to gang conflict

A young man whose body was discovered in a burning Surrey home on Monday has been identified by investigators who believe he may have been killed in connection with gang conflict.

Homicide investigators were called to the scene when firefighters found the man in the wreckage of an active house fire on 56 Avenue near 128 Street around 7 a.m.

“Interior searching had to be discontinued shortly after that due to a roof collapse and structural instability,” the Surrey Fire Service reported on the day.

That afternoon, police confirmed that the Lower Mainland’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) had taken over investigating the death, which was “considered suspicious.”

In an update Wednesday, IHIT shared that it had identified the victim as 27-year-old Naseem Mohammed.

“Mr. Mohammed was known to police and believed to be associated to the BC Gang Conflict(sic),” added police.

IHIT representatives are expected to hold a media event at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday to provide updates about its most recent deployments in Abbotsford and Surrey.