'Many witnesses' in area during deadly stabbing in White Rock, B.C., investigators say

Homicide detectives investigating a fatal stabbing in White Rock, B.C., say there were several witnesses in the area during the altercation between the 26-year-old victim and the perpetrator who remains at large.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says investigators have reviewed video from the scene of the Tuesday night stabbing and are now urging those witnesses to come forward.

Police and paramedics were called to the area of the White Rock pier on Marine Drive around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a man suffering stab wounds. Kulwinder Singh Sohi was treated on scene but died from his injuries.

"This occurred in a very public location," Sgt. Timothy Pierotti said in a statement ahead of a news conference Friday afternoon. "From our video review, we know there were many witnesses in the area. If you were there or parked in the area, now is the time to call IHIT."

Police and paramedics were called to the area of the White Rock pier on Marine Drive around 9:30 p.m. for a report of a man suffering stab wounds. Kulwinder Singh Sohi was treated on scene but died from his injuries.

Investigators say witnesses described seeing Sohi in a physical altercation with the suspect before chasing him eastbound on the White Rock Promenade toward a parking lot next to the Grand Chief Bernard Robert Charles (Pa-Kwach-Tun) Memorial Plaza.

The suspect is described as a Black man who stands approximately 5'11" tall. Witnesses reported he was wearing a dark-coloured hat and a grey hoodie at the time of the stabbing.

Pierotti said investigators will "continue to work tirelessly… to identify, locate and arrest the person responsible for this tragedy."

The fatal stabbing was the second knife attack in the area over a 48-hour period. Police were called to the promenade around 9 p.m. Sunday when a 28-year-old man was sent to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries in what investigators believe was an unprovoked attack.

At the news conference in the plaza Friday afternoon, Pierotti refused to confirm a connection between the two incidents, saying only that police are investigating that possibility.

Asked specifically whether police believe there's a single suspect targeting South Asian men in the area, Pierotti reiterated that investigators are remaining open to all possibilities.

"You know, I wouldn't rule that out, at this point," he said. "We're not in a position where we could rule that out or confirm that."

Pierotti also declined to say whether police have video of a suspect or person of interest in either case.

"To say with 100 per cent certainty that we have a suspect on video, it's a hard thing to answer, because we have a lot on video right now, and we're trying to figure out exactly what that is," he said.

While he acknowledged the suspect description is the same in both incidents, Pierotti told reporters it's also "quite generic."

"To say that there was only one Black male, 5'11", with a hoodie in White Rock that day, I can't imagine that to be the case," he said. "So, we're working towards getting better descriptions, better witnesses that could come forward and provide that insight."

Pierotti said there's no such thing as too much evidence in a homicide investigation, and police are asking people who were in the area between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesday who haven't spoken to investigators – even if they think they didn't see anything of interest – to get in touch with IHIT.

Information can be provided by calling 877-551-4448 or by emailing [e-mail].