Former doctor the victim of West Vancouver homicide

The man killed in West Vancouver earlier this week was a retired urologist who was involved in several legal disputes over valuable real estate, CTV News has learned.

An apartment building in the district was swarmed by police vehicles and yellow tape Tuesday evening.

Police say they were called to the 2100 block of Argyle Avenue for reports that a man had been attacked.

Witnesses say the victim was stabbed in the parkade.

CTV News has learned the victim is Francis Amir Este, who practiced urology in Port Coquitlam.

Documents show Este had lived in the apartment complex since 2014 with his mother.

Police say when they arrived, the victim was suffering from serious injuries after an altercation with an unknown male suspect.

Court records show Este was involved in a number of legal disputes with family members regarding valuable real estate, including a mansion on West Vancouver's Bellevue Avenue that was destroyed by fire in 2015.

The fire was deemed suspicious and became the subject of an arson investigation, but charges were never laid.

Documents show the property belonged to the Este family.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken over the investigation of the death. As of late Tuesday, no arrests had been made.

Witnesses say the area is a quiet neighbourhood that is sought after for its waterfront views.

"It was a little scary," said Liam Goddard, a resident of the apartment building. His mother was in the lobby of the building when chaos broke out.

"She was in the lobby and this lady came frantically running up from the parkade below and was like, 'My son's been attacked, help me, help me,'” he said.

Police have shared no details on what the suspect looks like or the possible motive behind the killing.