Harpreet Singh Sandhu, 21, was gunned down on July 25, 2011 in Vancouver's Champlain Heights neighbourhood. Twenty-five- year-old Heval Hishyar Tilli of Vancouver was arrested yesterday and charged with second degree murder. The VPD are again asking witnesses to come forward.

SOUTH VANCOUVER – The accused killer of a young Indo-Canadian man from South Vancouver who was gunned down in 2011 has been arrested.

VPD made an arrest this week and Crown Counsel have approved a charge in the 2011 homicide of a 21-year-old Harpreet “Hapi” Sandhu in South Vancouver

Twenty-five- year-old Heval Hishyar Tilli of Vancouver was arrested yesterday and charged with second degree murder. The VPD are again asking witnesses to come forward.

Just after 10 p.m. on July 25, 2011, Sandhu was shot following a verbal confrontation with another group of youths in the area of Arlington Street and Whitehorn Court in Champlain Heights. He was rushed to hospital, but died of his injuries a short time later.

Detectives from the VPD’s Homicide Unit took over the investigation and quickly confirmed there were others present at the time of the shooting. With little cooperation from witnesses, investigators made a public plea on November 4, 2011, asking witnesses to do the right thing and come forward. Detectives made it clear they would not rest until the killer was brought to justice.

Although almost six-years have passed since Hapi’s murder, investigators have worked tirelessly to gather evidence necessary to support a criminal charge of murder.

“We are aware that there are other witnesses to this murder that have been afraid to come forward or to cooperate with the police investigation,” says Constable Jason Doucette. “Now that charges have been laid, we are again appealing to those people to have the courage to speak up and clear their conscience.”

The case is now before the courts.

Anyone with information on the shooting can contact the Vancouver Police Department at 604-717-2500, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.