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Burnaby gangland murder case moving towards trial

First-degree murder case in connection with Burnaby shooting death of Toni Dalipi, 19, continues to work its way through court system
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Toni Dalipi, 19, was shot to death outside a vape store in Burnaby May 8.

A man charged with first-degree murder in what police say was a gangland shooting in Burnaby remains in custody pending trial.

Blerton (Toni) Dalipi, 19, was shot to death outside the Boss Vapes store on Sixth Street near 13th Avenue at about 7 p.m. on May 8.

The shooting was captured on a security video. It shows a person firing several shots with a handgun, turning, stumbling to the ground and then taking off. An innocent bystander was also injured in the shooting but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Two days later, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team announced charges had been laid Ahmed Riyaz Tahir, then 20.

He appeared in Vancouver Provincial Court on Nov. 16 by video, sitting in a court booth clad in red prison garb to set further court dates. He remains in custody pending a Nov. 22 appearance.

Tahir had no criminal record at the time of his arrest. Still, Assistant Commissioner Manny Mann, the head of B.C.'s anti-gang agency, said at the time he had had "criminal affiliations," and the killing was linked to the Lower Mainland gang conflict.

Mann said it was premature to discuss which gangs were involved.

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— with files from Cornelia Naylor, Burnaby Now

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