SURREY, B.C. – An actress who had a small role in the movie Diary of Wimpy Kid was shot to death at a university parking lot early Wednesday morning.
The body of 19-year-old Maple Batalia was found at about 1 a.m. in the parkade near an entrance to the Surrey Central City campus of Simon Fraser University, where she was a student.
Her father, Harkirat Batalia, called his daughter a jewel lost to “an idiot with a gun” and suggested there was a possible suspect in the killing.
“She complained to her mom about the behaviour of this boy. We asked police if you can do something very merciful for us and get us justice. We strongly request to police that this guy should be caught as soon as possible,” he said in an interview with CKNW radio.
He said his daughter had dreams of becoming a doctor and used her modelling and acting to help pay for her education.
Phil Ackerman, president of L2 Models in Vancouver which represented Batalia, said he was shocked to hear about the killing.
“She was a lovely, absolutely lovely person, an amazing person. It’s just so hard to believe,” he said.
“She was extremely articulate, extremely intelligent, extremely focused. She was aspiring to be a doctor, that’s what she wanted to be. She was dedicated to her studies and was a really strong actor.”
Ackerman said at five and a half feet, Maple wasn’t a runway model, but did promotional work, representing various clients at trade shows.
Police said she’d been shot several times and although she was still alive when she was found, she died later in hospital.
No arrests have been made.
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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