Red Scorpions

The Red Scorpions is a gang based in British Columbia, Canada. It was originally formed in 2005 by Quang Vinh Thang Le (known as Michael Le), Konaam Shirzad, Matthew Johnston and two other un-named young offenders. Michael Le testified at the Surrey Six trial that he and Shirzad initially formed the Red Scorpions after meeting in a youth detention centre facility. Le said the name Scorpions was a tribute to his "older brother who was killed and his nickname used to be Scorpion". The gang "used the word Red to symbolize blood" he said.[1] Le said Jamie Bacon and his brothers were not founders but joined the gang a few years later.

For the film, see Red Scorpion.
Red Scorpions
FoundedMid 2000s.
Founders:
Quang Vinh Thang (Michael) Le
Konaam Shirzad
Matthew Johnston
Two other un-named young offenders
Founding locationVancouver, British Columbia
Years activeMid 2000s – present
TerritoryLower Mainland
EthnicityVarious
Criminal activitiesArms trafficking, drug trafficking, illegal immigration, money laundering, murder
Allies
Rivals
  • United Nations (Canada)
  • 856 gang (Surrey, BC)
  • Red Alert
  • Dhure group (BC, Alberta, Ontario)
  • Dhak group (lower mainland)
  • Big Circle Boys (lower mainland)
  • Triads (Canada)
  • Yellow Triangle Boys (lower mainland)
  • The Greeks (Vernon, BC)
  • Fob-killers (Alberta)
  • MS-13 (Vancouver)
  • Brothers keepers (lower mainland)
  • Outlaws MC (lower mainland)

Red Scorpions have been running "dial-a-dope lines" – (drug trafficking operations) in the suburbs of Vancouver since 2000. Gang members can be identified by "RS" tattoos on their arms and necks; any forms of skull tattoos on the right arm indicate how many people that member has murdered. The Red Scorpions come from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds, as they consider race secondary to loyalty and respect.[2][3]

The Red Scorpions have been involved in an increasing number of well-publicized incidents of gang violence in the Vancouver area, in part due to their bitter rivalry with the United Nations gang. The Red Scorpions-United Nations relationship worsened after the infamous Bacon brothers left the UN to join forces with the Red Scorpions.[4]

Surrey Six murders
The Balmoral Tower Highrise building

The Red Scorpions have been linked to some of the bloodiest shootings in the region and were allegedly behind the October 19, 2007 killing of six people in a suite on 9800 East Whalley Ring Road, a condominium complex known as Balmoral Tower. The case is known as the Surrey Six murders.[5] The principal target was Corey Lal, a 22-year-old alleged drug dealer who was selling drugs on the Red Scorpions' turf. Five other men were killed to eliminate them from becoming potential witnesses. They were Michael Lal, 26 (Corey Lal's older brother), Ryan Bartolomeo, 19, Eddie Narong, 22, and two innocent bystanders: the 55-year-old gas fitter Ed Schellenberg and 22-year-old student neighbour Christopher Mohan, who unknowingly got caught in the incident.[6] Cody Haevischer and an associate who can only be identified as "Person X" were tried later.[7] Matthew Johnston and Cody Haevischer were charged with six counts of first-degree murder in the case. Jamie Bacon, 23, was charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of Corey Lal. Michael Le was charged with conspiracy to commit murder against Corey Lal.

Founding members

Michael Le

Quang Vinh Thang Le (known as Michael Le), an immigrant from Vietnam grew up in Coquitlam and was a co-founder of the gang. He had earlier been convicted of manslaughter for being in a group of teens who fatally beat another boy in a Coquitlam karaoke club in 2000.[8] He founded the gang with some other youth delinquents while he was serving time in the juvenile centre. Le named the gang Red Scorpions, red denoting blood and Scorpion being the name of his brother known by the nickname Scorpion.[1] In March 2008, he fled to his native Vietnam fearing arrest on an ongoing investigation and a Vancouver police sting operation. Moving later to Thailand, Hong Kong and China, he was intercepted as he arrived in Manila, The Philippines on June 17, 2009 and was deported to Canada.

Le signed a plea agreement with the Crown in November 2013 in the Surrey Six case and was sentenced to three years for "conspiracy to commit murder" in exchange for his testimony against other culprits in the gang including Red Scorpions members Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston, who were both convicted of all six murders. Michael Le entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit murder against Corey Lal. A joint submission by Crown prosecutor Peter Juk and Le's lawyer called for the 12-year term, minus almost nine years pre-trial credit for Le. The remaining sentence is just three years, one month.[8]

Konaam Shirzad

Konaam Shirzad (1983 – September 22, 2017) was a founding member when it started in mid 2000s although he was not as high-profile as other Red Scorpions. In 2005, Shirzad pleaded guilty to arranging a shooting he mistakenly linked to a man who had earlier testified against him. Accused of "mischief that endangered life", he was sentenced to 30 months in jail. In September 2009, Shirzad survived a shooting in West Vancouver. At an October 2010 court hearing, Shirzad claimed he had left the gang life.[9] In February 2017, he was charged in Richmond to possession of a firearm contrary to a court order. In July, he pleaded guilty and got a 90-day sentence. Claiming he was no longer in the gang, he purchased the Heavy Metal Gym on Briar Avenue in Kamloops. The gym was raided by police in January 2017. Shirzad was shot and killed on the evening of September 22, 2017, just steps from his home on Hudson's Bay Trail.[10][1]

Other main gang members

Matt Campbell

Matthew Gordon Campbell (1982 – January 2, 2014) was an alleged leader of the Red Scorpions at the time of his murder. Campbell was fatally stabbed in the neck on January 2, 2014 at the Abbotsford Auto Mall after an encounter with a member of a rival gang. Jimi Sandhu, 24, was charged with second degree murder of Campbell. Campbell was taken to hospital, where he died of his injuries.[11][12]

Jonathan, Jarrod and Jamie Bacon
Main article: Bacon Brothers (gangsters)

Jonathan (also known as Jon), Jarrod, and Jamie Bacon, were a trio of gangsters born in Abbotsford, British Columbia,[13] suspected of multiple firearms and drug trafficking charges. Known as the Bacon Brothers, they were initially members of the United Nations gang.

In 2006, the brothers partnered with the Red Scorpions, major rival to the United Nations. The aim of their association was to help the Bacons compete with the United Nations gang. The authorities believed that the brothers took leadership control of the Red Scorpions shortly thereafter.[14]

On April 3, 2009, Jamie Bacon was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Emergency response team for his alleged involvement in the October 19, 2007 slayings of the 'Surrey Six'[15] This development occurred after an associate of the Bacon brothers, Dennis Karbovanec, pleaded guilty to his participation in the slayings. On September 11, 2020, he plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit the murder of Corey Lal. He was sentenced to 18 years incarceration, and with credit for time served, he will serve an additional five years and seven months in prison.[16]

Jarrod Bacon, arrested in May 2009 on weapons charges, was found guilty on February 2, 2012 of several charges relating to cocaine trafficking. On May 4, 2012, Jarrod was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiracy to traffic cocaine. The sentence was then reduced to seven years and two months after time served was taken into consideration.[17][18]

In September 2009, the Integrated Gang Task Force reported that eight associates had been murdered since the public warning by police that those associated with Jon, Jarrod and Jamie Bacon avoid the trio or be potentially marked for death by rival criminals.[19] In May 2010, the court convicted Jamie Bacon of all 11 charges related to the April 2007 discovery of a gun cache but acquitted the older brother Jarrod of all charges.[20]

On August 14, 2011, Jonathan Bacon was murdered via gunfire outside the Delta Grand Hotel in Kelowna, BC. Larry Amero, a full-patch member of the Hells Angels, was also critically injured in the attack.[21] Jason McBride, Jujhar Khun-Khun and Michael Kerry Hunter Jones are now charged in connection with the shooting.


Dennis Karbovanec

On April 3, 2009, Karbovanec (born 1982) pleaded guilty in his role of Surrey Six high-rise slayings of October 19, 2007, after turning himself in.[4] On April 9, 2009 he was sentenced to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 15 years.[22] He had earlier been the target of a gangland hit on New Year's Eve 2008 but due to his body armour had survived the murder attempt.

Cody Haevischer

One of the two alleged killers of the Surrey Six. Haevischer (born 1985) reportedly killed three of the victims and unidentified gang member "Person X" killed the other three. On the day of the murders, Michael Le attended a meeting at a Korean restaurant in Surrey with Haevischer, Johnston and "Person X" also attending.

"Person X"

The unidentified accomplice murderer of the Surrey Six, a Red Scorpion gang member and the alleged killer of three of the Surrey Six victims. For his direct involvement in the killing of three of the victims in the Surrey Six murders, he agreed to cooperate with police and pleaded guilty to shooting three of the Surrey Six victims.

He was convinced to become a Crown witness at the trial against co-accused murderer and accomplice Cody Haevischer and against alleged instigator Matt Johnston. But the presiding judge on the case banned "Person X" from testifying after months of in camera court proceedings. "Person X" is serving a life sentence without possibility of parole for 15 years. There is a ban on identifying him by his real name.

Jamie Bacon is facing three new charges for an alleged plot to kill Person X. Bacon counseled another man, identified by police, to murder Person X on behalf of a criminal organization.[23]

"Person Y"

Person Y is another unidentified accomplice. He was convicted of first-degree murder in two unrelated gang cases and is serving 25 years to life. He admitted to have played a role in the conspiracy to murder Corey Lal, and acted as a police informant in the Surrey Six case.[24]

See also

References
  1. Kim Bolan (September 22, 2017). "Red Scorpion founder killed in Kamloops". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
  2. Bolan, Kim (May 30, 2008). "Who are The Red Scorpions?". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on March 12, 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  3. "Violent Red Scorpion gang busted in Victoria". CBC News. August 19, 2008. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  4. "Alleged gangster pleads guilty in Surrey high-rise slayings". CBC News. April 3, 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  5. Kim Bolan (October 20, 2015). "Gang founder convicted in Surrey Six murders denied parole". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  6. Kim Bolan (August 27, 2017). "Surrey Six lawyer critical of Crown deals with former gangsters". The Province / Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  7. "Cody Haevischer and Matthew Johnston found guilty of first-degree murder at 'Surrey Six' trial in B.C." National Post. October 2, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  8. Kim Bolan (December 18, 2013). "Founder of Red Scorpion gang gets 12 years for role in Surrey Six slayings". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  9. Parksville Qualicum Beach News: Red Scorpions co-founder killed in Kamloops shooting
  10. https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/sounds-man-screaming-followed-gunshots-gangsters-murder-witness-tells-ktw/
  11. Kim Bolan (January 8, 2017). "Red Scorpion gang leader killed in Abbotsford attack". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  12. Kim Bolan (February 2, 2014). "Man charged in murder of Red Scorpion leader Matt Campbell in Abbotsford". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  13. Luk, Vivian (August 15, 2011). "A history of the Bacon brothers". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  14. Schwartz, Daniel (August 19, 2011). "Notorious gangs of British Columbia". CBC News. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  15. . "Alleged gangster pleads guilty in Surrey high-rise slayings". CBC News. April 3, 2009. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  16. Alam, Hina (September 11, 2020). "B.C. gang leader sentenced to 18 years in Surrey Six case will serve 5 years, 7 months with credit". CTV News. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
  17. "Jarrod Bacon arrested".
  18. "B.C. gangster Jarrod Bacon gets 12 years on cocaine charge". Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  19. Bolan, Kim (September 5, 2009). "8 Bacon associates dead since warning issued". The Vancouver Sun. CanWest. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  20. "Bacon brother found guilty". CBC News. May 13, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  21. Tu Thanh Ha (August 14, 2011). "Alleged B.C gang leader reported killed in Kelowna casino gun attack". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on June 2, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  22. Karbovanec sentenced to life in Surrey slayings CBC News, April 9, 2009.
  23. Kim Bolan (July 14, 2014). "Bacon faces new charges in 2008 plot to kill Person X". Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  24. Kim Bolan (February 17, 2014). "A guide to Surrey Six witness bans so far". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
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