Reid Small
Published:August 5, 2021
-Western Standard
A BC gangster who survived an assassination attempt in Kelowna on the weekend has finally seen his dance with the Grim Reaper come to an end.
Kyle Gianis – who survived the fourth assassination attempt on his life on the weekend – killed himself after stabbing two women at a campsite near Enderby, say RCMP.
RCMP said they were called about a double stabbing about midnight on Monday in the small town.
Gianis was reportedly acting in an erratic manner.
The area was cordoned off and a search was launched for him which included the use of a police dog.
Officers located Gianis around 2:00 a.m. down an embankment near a river, in medical distress due to what appeared to be self-inflicted injuries.
Despite the efforts of police and medical personnel, he died at the scene.
Gianis had earlier survived the fourth unsuccessful attempt on his life and the second time he has been shot in four months.
Kelowna RCMP rushed to the shooting in the area of Pandosy Street and KLO Road in Kelowna just before 7 p.m. Saturday.
Both victims – Gianis and an unnamed 25-year-old male – were transported to the hospital.
Gianis, who has been skirting the Grim Reaper for years, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.
The 25-year-old remained in the hospital as of Monday.
“We have reason to believe this was a targeted attack on these two men,” said Insp. Beth McAndie of the Kelowna RCMP.
“Because of his criminal activities and associates, Mr. Gianis poses a threat to our community and the public in general, and we are putting all our resources into investigating this newest incident.”
Witnesses reported a man fleeing the area in a silver SUV, and while investigating the scene, police officers discovered what is believed to be an undetonated bomb. The area was immediately cordoned off.
The repeated attempts on his life seem to fall on deaf ears when it comes to Gianis, who has survived a number of assassination attempts. The most recent taking place in March when he was shot outside of a Global Fitness, in Kelowna.
He quickly took to social media to mock his would-be killers, reported Postmedia.
“I hope you kept your receipt goof troop crew to get a refund cause your order didn’t go through,” he said.
In 2017, he was the target of a shooting in Langley, BC which resulted in the death of Tyler Pastuck. David Tull was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison for the conspiracy to murder Gianis that resulted in Pastuck’s death, although he was not the trigger man.
In 2018, Surrey nurse Paul Bennett was killed when an assassin – who was reportedly hunting Gianis – murdered the wrong man. Bennet, the 47-year-old nurse and minor hockey coach was gunned down in broad daylight near his Cloverdale home.
In 2008, Gianis was jailed for 13 years in Washington state for smuggling the chemical used to make meth. He was transferred back to Canada where he was granted day parole in 2013.
As the Enderby incident is now under investigation by the IIO BC, no further information will be released by police.
The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
THE IIO said when Southeast District Emergency Response Team found Gianis they “cautiously approached with use of tear gas and a 40mm less-lethal round.”
