New Westminster, BC – Today, in the New Westminster Supreme Court, Tanner Fox (21) and Jose Lopez (23) pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for their role in the assassination of Ripudaman Singh Malik, a prominent community leader who was gunned down in July 2022. Both men had initially been charged with first-degree murder by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) on July 27, 2022.
Following the guilty pleas, an unexpected and violent altercation occurred when one of the men, Jose Lopez, attacked Tanner Fox in the courtroom, causing a brief disruption to the proceedings.
Ripudaman Singh Malik, a well-known businessman and former suspect in the Air India bombing case, was shot outside his Surrey business in a targeted attack. The guilty pleas mark a significant step forward in the legal process, though many questions remain unanswered, including the involvement of individuals who may have ordered or financed the assassination.
Family Statement on Guilty Pleas-
The Malik family, still grappling with the traumatic loss, released a statement following today’s court developments. They acknowledged the efforts of the BC Prosecution Service and the RCMP in marshaling the evidence that led to this outcome, while also noting that the work remains incomplete. The family emphasized the need to bring to justice not only those who carried out the assassination but also those who hired them.
“We know that nothing will erase the pain that we have gone through losing a family member in this way,” the statement read. They further called on Fox and Lopez to cooperate with authorities to help identify those responsible for orchestrating the murder.
The family continues to place faith in the RCMP, believing that those at large will eventually be brought to justice. They have also asked for privacy and declined to speak to the media at this time.
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