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Friends, family to say goodbye to 15-year-old bystander killed in gang shooting

Funeral for Alfred Wong, who was killed by a stray bullet in Vancouver, to be held in Coquitlam
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Friends and family of 15-year-old Alfred Wong will say their goodbyes Saturday, just over a week after he died in hospital from injuries sustained in what police say was a gang shooting.

Wong was in a vehicle with his parents on Jan. 13, when the family found themselves caught in the crossfire. Wong was hit by a stray bullet.

The tragedy has captured national attention. Since Wong’s death, Vancouver police chief Adam Palmer has called the shooting “reckless” and “reprehensible,” dedicating more than 50 officers to the investigation.

But Saturday won’t be about the investigation, or the perpetrator who’s still at large. Instead, mourners will gather at Coquitlam Alliance Church to remember the teen who has been described as trustworthy, loyal and smart.

“The 15 years that we had with Alfred were far too short,” Wilfred Wong, the teen’s older brother, said during a news conference Monday.

“His death will leave a void in our hearts.”

For those who want to honour Wong from afar, two Alfred WF Wong Memorial Scholarship funds have been set up in his name: one through Coquitlam SD43 and the other through the Hyack Swim Club where the teen trained.

With files from The Canadian Press


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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