Quantcast
Former Hells Angel member shot dead – Metro US

Former Hells Angel member shot dead

A former member of the Hells Angels was shot to death Thursday morning outside a renovated heritage home near Vancouver’s city hall.

Juel Ross Stanton, 41, was killed in what police believe was a targeted hit at 6:15 a.m. outside a red house located in the 200-block of West 11th Street. He was scheduled to appear in provincial court in Vancouver later that morning on a number of assault, weapons and driving offences.

“Stanton was formerly a member of the Hells Angels,” said Const. Jana McGuinness, as forensic officers snuffed around the gated property for evidence. “It is now our understanding that he was expelled from the club some time ago, this year.”

According to McGuinness, neighbours called 9-1-1 after hearing a number of gunshots. Police discovered Stanton’s body shortly afterwards, just inside a black iron gate on the Columbia Street side of the house.

SFU organized crime expert Robert Gordon said the shooting was likely a matter of internal discipline or a hit by a competing gang. Based on the fact that he was recently expelled from the Hells Angels, Gordon said he was leaning toward the former.

If it was a discipline matter, Gordon said it was unlikely there would be any follow-up violence.

In April, Vancouver Insp. Brad Desmaris served “notice” to the Hells Angels East End chapter because Stanton was using his status as a full-patch member to “terrify citizens in our community.”

Stanton, Desmaris said, had graphic tattoos indicating his HA status and had “no inhibition whatsoever showing these tattoos to citizens in circumstances which could only be described as highly intimidating.”

Earlier this year, Stanton was arrested for a pair of violent assaults at the Ivanhoe Pub on Main Street. He was released on 14 conditions that included not being allowed to use any Hells Angels paraphernalia and was prohibited from the Downtown Eastside.

McGuinness said the VPD had received complaints from neighbours about the house. At times, officers parked a marked squad car in front of the house.