A third-party sponsor for the upcoming municipal election in Surrey says it has received a death threat against one of its members.
Keep the RCMP in Surrey (KTRIS) campaign manager Ivan Scott says a member’s garage door was spray painted with the message “U R dead” on the night of Oct. 1.
Scott believes the message to be politically motivated.
“At this stage it is not clear who the perpetrators are, but KTRIS believes that due to the fact that KTRIS recently endorsed the Surrey Connect slate of Brenda Locke for the upcoming municipal election, that this was definitely targeted against us by one of the competing slate’s supporters,” said Scott by email Monday.
Surrey RCMP have confirmed to Glacier Media it is investigating the incident. Glacier Media has asked if an outside agency will conduct the investigation.
Locke is a sitting councillor for Surrey Connect who opposed the police transition plan of incumbent mayor Doug McCallum, of Safe Surrey Coalition.
At issue is the delayed transition timeline as well as costs. The project is already delayed by two years and the City of Surrey is presently paying for the Surrey RCMP and new Surrey Police Service.
Scott said the threat will not “intimidate” him and members of the group, which is a registered third-party sponsor.
The group and McCallum have had prior controversies, namely a September 2021 incident in a grocery store parking lot that led to McCallum being charged with mischief, for allegedly lying to police. The mayor has pursued a second straight term despite facing a criminal trial on Oct. 31.
