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Diane Simpson has barely slept since her son Apollo-Lyn was gunned down earlier this week, in what was the latest in a rash of fatal shootings that plagued Metro Vancouver over the Christmas long weekend.

In a voice thick with fatigue and sorrow, she talked about the 10-year-old son he leaves behind.

"I haven't had a chance to even talk with Apollo's son myself yet," she said. "My older son had to tell the boy the news. He's just distraught."

Few details have been released by police about what was the fourth slaying in as many days. Shots rang out in the 9500 block of 125th Street in Surrey, B.C. around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. One hour later, Mr. Simpson's body was spotted and a 911 call was finally made.

Ms. Simpson said she simply cannot understand why anyone would have wanted to harm her 28-year-old son, someone who went out of his way to help people.

"We're all just in shock," she said. "So many people loved him. He was such an awesome young man who was very caring, very giving."

Ms. Simpson sent out a plea on Facebook for people to come forward with any information related to her son's death.

"As his mother I am begging everyone to help me and the police solve this murder," she wrote. "Help me please so that this freakazoide can be put in jail so it can't murder anyone else."

Melissa Avery had been friends with Mr. Simpson for more than five years. She said she set up the Facebook group page so that the public can see how much he was loved and cared for.

"It's a place where people can go and tell their stories, and share their pictures, and see him in his happy times," a tearful Ms. Avery said. "I've also gotten stories and poems."

Ms. Avery said Mr. Simpson was a wonderful, kind-hearted friend who would give the shirt off his back to help anyone.

"Me and my fiancé were in really rough times at one point, and Apollo helped us through a lot of them," she said.

Ms. Avery's fiancé, Skoty Smythe, used to work with Mr. Simpson for a moving company. "Man I still can't believe it dude we used to work on the same trucks for years ... never had nothing but love for me mad respect !!" wrote Mr. Smythe on the Facebook page. "Love you for it see again one day my friend."

Ms. Avery said she had last seen Mr. Simpson a month ago at the local gas station.

"He looked a little messed up," she said. "He was scrounging change trying to find money for smokes."

Mr. Simpson had apparently become more withdrawn over the past 12 months. He had moved back in with his mother and quit his job as he struggled to deal with a difficult break-up.

"As soon as they broke up he just started going downhill again," Ms. Avery said. "She had held him together. She made him into a better man. She made him keep his job, motivated him to go to the gym, go to work in the morning."

Ms. Avery said there was a shooting incident in October at Mr. Simpson's house.

"His house was shot at two days after his birthday and he ended up having to move," she said.

Sergeant Jennifer Pound, a spokeswoman for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, said she could not confirm if this incident was connected to Tuesday's shooting.

"We continue to investigate and are looking into the events leading up to Apollo's murder," she said. "He does not have a criminal record and it does not, at this time, appear to be gang-related."

Ms. Avery said she couldn't understand why the police were not be called immediately after gunshots were heard.

"The neighbours didn't call until an hour later," she said, her voice breaking. "If they'd called the police straight away he could still be alive."

Ms. Avery said she likes to think back to the last time her and her fiancé spent time together with Mr. Simpson in April. Apollo had offered to help them move even though he was to work at the moving company later that day.

"He was that type of person who would help you in any way that he could," she said. "It was a typical moving day and we all sat around afterwards, had pizza and beers, and joked around."

A candlelit vigil for Mr. Simpson has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Surrey's Holland Park.

Ms. Avery said Mr. Simpson was "the best man he could be," despite whatever difficulties he may have had.

"He had lots of problems you know, but who doesn't?"

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