Host speaks out after shots fired at Surrey radio station

A radio host says everyone deserves to feel safe at work after her station in Surrey was the target of gunfire Monday night.

Jinny Sims says she went to the offices of Radio Swift 1200 AM as soon as she learned the building had been hit by bullets the night before.

“No one was here, so no one was hurt, but nevertheless, this is very scary when a media outlet — a radio station — is shot at,” Sims told The Leader Spirit.

“Everyone who goes to work should feel safe. Media is exactly the same. Today, somebody came and shot at my workplace and made it unsafe for me.”

Even though no live programming was scheduled for Tuesday, Sims says they put together a talk show and went on air to prove a point.

“We are running a live talk show on a day that we were not running a show to say that we will carry on,” she explained. “We will not be silenced.”

Since late last year, there have been dozens of extortion-related incidents reported south of the Fraser involving threats or bullets fired at buildings.

“There’s been a lot of shootings in our community, a lot of open cases, police talk about them, and we hear about them every few days. I do not have a definitive answer, but the Surrey Police Service is investigating, and we are hoping they are able to get to the bottom of this quickly.”

The SPS says the Provincial Extortion Task Force is leading the investigation.

“Anyone with information about this incident or anyone who may have been in the area of 13000 block 76 Avenue between 8:00 pm on Monday, September 29 and 6:00 am on Tuesday, September 30 and witnessed the shots fired or suspicious activity is asked to contact the SPS non-emergency line at 604-599-0502 and quote file number 25-85681 (SP), the Surrey Extortion Tip Line at 236-485-5149, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.solvecrime.ca,” added SPS Staff Sergeant Lindsey Houghton.

Sims says she’s very concerned.

“Swift Radio 1200 AM was shot at. This could have been Global, this could have been CityTV, this could have been OMNI. We are here right now, our hosts, and we are now running a live talk show just to say we are not going to be silenced.”