SURREY - A man is fighting for his life after gunmen fired at least ten bullets at him through the front windshield of an SUV parked in a Newton strip mall Thursday afternoon.

"The brazenness and this deplorable act that occurred in this family oriented business area is just unthinkable," Surrey RCMP Sgt. Drew Grainger said.

The shooting happened just after 3 p.m. The victim was sitting in the front passenger seat of a Chrysler Pacifica, parked in front of the Early Years Centre and Child Care Options office at 6846 King George Blvd., when he was attacked.

Grainger said police arrived to "a scene of chaos" after receiving multiple 911 calls. He couldn't say if children had also been in the vehicle.

"That I don't know," Grainger said. "We believe that there were other occupants in the vehicle but we've yet to determine who."

He said police are speaking with witnesses but had yet to confirm if the gunmen, who are still at large, wore masks.

Grainger said the shooting had the hallmarks of a targeted hit but added it's unknown at this time if it involved gangsters or drugs.

Roughly a dozen police cars are on scene and much of the strip mall is surrounded by yellow police tape.

Pandora Francis, of nearby Maid Brigade, said she didn't see anything or hear any shots but is nevertheless horrified by the attack.

"I was pretty shocked," she said of the shooting. "Especially in the public like that, in daylight. I hope it doesn't happen again."

tzytaruk@thenownewspaper.com