SURREY – In a scene straight out of a thriller, the respected head of one of Surrey’s most vital community organizations was stalked and ambushed in his own parking lot, narrowly escaping a blinding assault with a canister of bear spray. The entire chilling confrontation was caught on camera.
On 5:30 p.m. on August 11, shows Satbir S. Cheema, the President and CEO of PICS, finishing his workday. But as he walks to his car, a predator is waiting. A white Dodge pickup truck, lurking at the edge of the lot, begins to prowl toward him, its movements slow and calculated.
The truck blocks Cheema’s car, and a shadowy figure emerges from the rear door. After a brief, deceptive exchange of words, the assailant lunges, unleashing a potent stream of bear spray aimed directly at Cheema’s face.
But the attacker underestimated his target. With split-second reflexes, Cheema used his vehicle as a shield, diving behind it to avoid the main blast. While his clothing, turban, and arm were hit, his quick thinking saved him from severe injury. The attacker, his cowardly mission failed, scrambled back into the getaway truck—a vehicle with no front plate—and vanished into the streets of Surrey.
Now, eight days later, the community is on edge. With no arrests made as of August 19, the question hangs heavy in the air: who ordered this brazen attack, and why?
While police remain tight-lipped, Cheema is pulling no punches, calling it a “cowardly and targeted attack” not just on him, but on everything PICS stands for.
“Let me be clear: violence and intimidation will not deter us,” Cheema declared, his voice unwavering. “This shameful act will not stop us from serving those who depend on us.”
The organization’s board stands firmly with him, vowing that “fear or aggression will not derail our mission.” As Surrey Police hunt for the two mystery men in the white truck, a community leader has sent a clear message back to the shadows: He will not be silenced.
