TWO years ago, on January 16, 2003, Sukhdeep Singh Sandhu, 26, of Vancouver shot four men at Richmond’s Riverside Banquet Hall on River Road during a private event attended by many casual waterfront workers
Last year Sandhu was convicted of the attempted murder of one man and the aggravated assaults of three other men, including Amrit Singh Bunwait who was injured in the leg.. But because of a mental disorder, Sandhu was found to be not criminally responsible for the crimes.
Bunwait has now filed a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court alleging that between 2004 and the date of the shooting incident, Sandhu knew or ought to have known that he was showing signs of mental illness. It is claimed that Sandhu had cut himself at least on one occasion and had physically attacked his brother at least once. It is also claimed that in spite of his family’s advice, he refused or neglected to seek professional help. The lawsuit states that Sandhu purchased a gun when he knew his symptoms would cause him to use the weapon on others.
The lawsuit also blames the family for failing to supervise him, and it claims the banquet hall owed a duty of care.
None of the allegations have been proven in court and no response has been filed to the lawsuit.
As I pointed out to all the media the day after this horrible incident, this was not any kind of function of the ILWU and most certainly not an ‘induction ceremony’ of the ILWU. This was a private event attended by many casual waterfront workers.