The family of a 23-year-old who was fatally stabbed outside a downtown nightclub over the weekend is remembering him as a hard-working young man with a knack for making those around him feel loved.
"My brother, he's such a kind person. He cared about everybody that entered his life. He had a vivacious smile, infectious laugh. He brightened up the room when he entered it," said Kalwinder Thind's older sister, Jassicka Bhullar.
"Everything I say, it falls short of who he was."
Kalwinder, who went by the name Kris, worked as an event promoter at the Cabana Lounge, located at 1159 Granville St. According to investigators, he stepped in to break up a fight between two groups of people outside the nightclub shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.
Witness video obtained exclusively by CTV News shows the violent altercation starting on the sidewalk in front of the establishment before spilling out onto the street.
Police say Kalwinder was stabbed sometime during that dustup. He died in hospital a short time later.
“It seems like it was an alcohol-fuelled fight,” Vancouver police Sgt. Jason Robillard said Saturday. “Any time somebody tries to break up a fight and is murdered like this, we definitely have all hands on deck.”
Kalwinder’s family says he died acting on an instinct that defined who he was: helping those around him.
"He was doing what was expected of him…to calm the situation down, make sure everything was OK, so people can go home safely," said Andrew Kochhar, one of the victim’s best friends.
Kalwinder, who was the youngest of three siblings, was scheduled to travel to India on Monday to attend Andrew’s wedding.
"I lost my little bro. I never had any siblings. He was my brother. He was the person I turned to all the time," Andrew said.
"As soon as we met, we just started jiving. I knew right away that this was going to be somebody that I was going to spend the rest of my life with. All it takes is just one weekend for something to go absolutely wrong. Why?"
Jassicka said her brother's death will be felt deeply by the many people who were close to him, including two nephews who idolized him.
"He was such a big influence in their lives and it's so tragic that they won't know him for so many more years after this," she said. "He could have impacted so many people's lives, but that was taken away from all of us."
Kalwinder had just started working at Cabana after leaving his jobs at a Richmond car dealership and the Bar None Nightclub on Hamilton Street.
"He was so excited about it. He loved getting out, talking to people and everybody knew him," Jassicka said, thanking the community for the outpouring of support since the death.
"It means so much. I'm so proud of him. I'm so proud that he's my brother."
Jassicka's husband, Simran Bhullar, described Kris as the "backbone of the family."
"When I first came into the family…he treated me like a brother from day one," he said. "He treated everyone like brothers when he got to know them."
A candlelight vigil for Kalwinder will be held on Granville Street Wednesday.
Five people were originally arrested following the fight, but have since been released. No criminal charges have been laid.
The footage obtained by CTV has also been submitted to the Vancouver Police Department, but investigators say more people could have captured key video evidence on their phones.
As police continue the investigation, Kalwinder's loved ones say they're anxiously waiting for someone to be held responsible.
"We want justice. We need justice. He needs justice," Simran raid.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact investigators at 604-717-2500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
With files from CTV Vancouver's Maria Weisgarber