'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 ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.