Stray Bullet Kills 85-Year-Old Senior in B.C. Home, Reigniting Concerns Over Gun Violence in Canada

The tragic killing of 85-year-old Chang Yong Cho inside his home in Burnaby, British Columbia, has once again brought national attention to the deadly toll of stray bullets in Canada. The incident marks the latest in dozens of cases over the past 30 years where innocent bystanders—including children and seniors—have been killed or injured in public spaces and private residences. Investigating officers stated that Cho was killed around 1:30 a.m. on August 30 by a single stray bullet fired approximately a block away from his residence. The homicide investigation team believes members of the local community, specifically a group of youth believed to be connected to the incident, possess critical information. Law enforcement authorities have issued a public appeal urging those involved to step forward and cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Data reveals that Cho and 15-year-old Alfred Wong—who was killed in 2018 during a rival gang shootout along Vancouver's Broadway thoroughfare—are among at least nine people in Canada struck by stray bullets over the past decade. Since the 1990s, more than 30 individuals have been hit by stray gunfire across the country, resulting in at least 16 fatalities. The tragedy echoes a series of high-profile incidents across Canada. Recent victims include 8-year-old JahVai Roy, who was fatally struck while in bed in Toronto in August 2025, and 21-year-old Indian student Harsimrat Randhawa, who died after being shot while waiting at a bus stop in Hamilton, Ontario, in April 2025. Other past victims include 12-year-old Dante Andreatta Marroquin, killed in Toronto in 2020 during a drive-by shooting; 5-year-old Ethan Yellowbird, who died in his sleep on the Samson Cree reserve in 2011; and 11-year-old Ephraim Brown, who was shot at a birthday party in Toronto in 2007. In a rare case of survival, Laurie Tinga survived a gunshot wound to the head while watching television in her Port Moody, B.C., home during a 2005 gang conflict. Legal accountability in these stray-bullet killings remains a key focus for authorities. In July, Kane Carter was handed two life sentences for second-degree murder in connection with the 2018 shootout that killed Alfred Wong and an alleged gangster. Police continue to push for community cooperation in Cho's case to ensure those responsible face justice.