Time to get growing special feature: 25 Classifieds 986-6222 Distribution 986-1337 NEWS photo terry Peters NORTH VANCOUVER City firemen and ambulance attendants work on Dr. Verne Flather, who was gunned down in front of his North Vancouver home on Wednes- day aftersioon. Flather subsequently died from a gunshot wound to the chest. The police have one suspect in custody. Man charged with second-degree murder after Keith Rd. shooting A NORTH Vancouver doc- tor was shot dead in front of his house Wednesday afternoon By Surj Rattan News Reporter North Vancouver RCMP Staff Sgt. Ron Babcock said Dr. Verne Flather, 55, a general practioner who worked at Lions Gate Hospi- tal, was gunned down at about 3:25 p.m. as he was about (o get into his car in the 400-biock of et East Keith Road. The police have since charged David Roger Henderson, 49, of North Vancouver, with second- degree murder in connection with the shooting. Henderson, with grey hair and a beard and wearing a blue shirt, made a brief appearance in North Vancouver provincial court on Thursday morning. He was remanded in custody until Monday for his next court appearance, Crown counsel also plans to have Henderson examined by a psychiatrist. Said Babcock, ‘*The only ac- count we have from the witnesses at the scene is that the deceased was getting into a vehicle. The suspect was at the rear of the vehicle near the trunk and pulled out a gun and levelled it at him. *‘Just at that time a retired member of the RCMP was driving by and witnessed the incident and called our office. As it happened we had a car in the area, and when the member arrived the suspect was found standing over the victim,”’ Babcock said. Flather was pronounced dead shortly after arsiving at LGH, Babcock said. He died from a gunshot wound to the chest. Babcock said the weapon used in the slaying was a .45 calibre handgun. The police arrested Henderson at the scene of the shooting. To press time Thursday, the police had no motive for the shooting. North Vancouver resident Kelly Peters said he drove by the shooting scene and saw the suspect standing over Flather. Peters said he stopped and talk- ed to the suspect. “*! drove by and saw a guy lying beside the car and a guy standing over him. | pulled up because 1 thought he might need help,"’ said Peters. “ET said: *Have you called an ambulance?’ and he said: ‘No, call an ambulance.” 1 went to the Chinese store on the corner and called 911, When I went back f noticed he had been shot and the cops were there.”’ Peters added that his friend also talked to the suspect and the suspect had said Fiather suffered a heart 2itack. Dr. Stewart Madiil, LGH’s medical administrator, said Flather was two years behind him in medical school and had worked at the hospital for 29 years. “He tended to be a bit of a loner. He wasn’t around the hos- pital very much, and I know his marriage broke up a few years ago,’’ said Madill. Marc Rovner said he has been a patient of Flather’s since he was about six:years old. He described the doctor as a kind person. **T practically grew up with him. He was a pretty mild, easy-going guy,’’ said Rovner.