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Slain teen's former boyfriend turns himself in for assault charges

Police say he is not a suspect in Maple Batalia's murder.
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Gurjinder Dhaliwal

The former boyfriend of slain teen Maple Batalia has turned himself in on assault charges.

Gurjinder Dhaliwal, 19, came to the Surrey RCMP detachment Monday and turned himself in on a warrant for an alleged attack on two people at a North Surrey Tim Hortons on Sept. 24.

Dhaliwal is accused of assaulting a man and a woman at the 96 Avenue and King George Boulevard Tim Hortons and is facing two counts of assault.

Police would not say whether one of those attacked was Batalia.

On Sunday, Sept. 25, Batalia changed her status to "single" on her Facebook site. Two friends "liked" that, and Maple responded "LOLLLL ahahahaha ur soo funni :P LOL"

On Sept. 28, Batalia was gunned down on the third floor of the Central City parkade beside Simon Fraser University as she left a late-night study session.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said Dhaliwal is not a suspect in the shooting.

IHIT has no suspects at this point and can't say whether the shooting was targeted or random.

Dhaliwal is due back in court on the assault charges on Oct. 17.

kdiakiw@surreyleader.com