Toronto: Canadian police have a young male in connection with the killing of 26-year-old Indian national Kulwinder Singh Sohi in a suburb of Vancouver in the province of British Columbia on April 23.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) announced on Monday that a 28-year-old had been arrested in connection with the stabbing which led to Sohi’s death, but they did not release the identity of the person taken into custody.
The arrest was undertaken with the assistance of the Integrated Emergency Response Team. “This remains a very active investigation,” IHIT spokesperson Sgt Timothy Pierotti said in the statement on Monday.
The incident occurred in the town of White Rock. On the late evening of April 23, officers from the White Rock detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) responded to a report of an injured man. The responders, along with BC Emergency Health Services attended and upon arrival, located a 26-year old man, later identified as Kulwinder Singh Sohi, on the White Rock Promenade, suffering from fatal stab wounds. IHIT took over the investigation at that point, working with White Rock RCMP, the BC Coroners Service and the Integrated Forensic Identification Services to advance the investigation.
The suspect was described by witnesses “as a black male, approximately 5’11, wearing a dark coloured hat and a grey hoodie”, police had said.
The incident occurred in what was described as a “very public location” and witnesses also told police that they saw the victim “in a physical altercation with the suspect, before giving chase”.
Local media have reported that another Indian-origin person had been stabbed just two days before Sohi was attacked. On April 21, police were informed that a person had been stabbed near the White Rock Pier. Upon attendance, they located the 28-year-old victim, later identified as Jatinder Singh, and provided first aid until paramedics arrived. Singh was transported to hospital by Emergency Health Services with non-life-threatening injuries.
However, the two incidents have shaken the community and White Rock RCMP has announced enhanced patrolling. Police are holding a town hall on Tuesday in this context, as local police posted on X, “We know that community members have concerns about safety in White Rock following the two recent events on our waterfront.”
Sohi’s family launched an online fundraiser to have his remains transported back to India. On the fundraiser page, his brother Gurleen Sohi said, “Kulwinder was hard working and really passionate person. I’m really shocked and depressed after this tragic loss. Our parents are still in India and we want to give peace to Kulwinder soul by performing last rituals at our hometown.”
A vigil was held in Sohi’s memory at the White Rock pier on Sunday.
