White Rock Police have arrested and charged 28-year-old Dimitri Nelson Hyacinth from Surrey in relation to the stabbing that killed Kulwinder Singh Sohi, a young Punjabi male last week near White Rock Pier.
The same man was also charged in relation to the aggravated assault of Jatinder Singh on April 21. The two tragic incidents that occurred just days apart left the White Rock community shaken, concerned and feeling unsafe since the area is considered safe and the pier is one of the most popular lookout places for Lower Mainland families. The incidents also raised concerns among the Punjabi community as both the targets were Punjabi males.
Family and friends of Sohi and locals gathered in a vigil and attended a town hall to put forth some tough questions for the police and the local authorities. They demanded answers as to why more wasn’t done to alert the public after the first non-fatal attack on April 21.
“There was nothing at the time to make us believe it was an active threat. … We considered it, it’s always something top of my mind. Always,” said White Rock RCMP Staff Sgt. Rob Dixon. Dixon shared that the number of police patrols along the promenade and Marine Drive increased immediately after the Sunday incident.
Several members from the South Asian community also expressed how the two incidents, which saw South Asian men as victims, have been affecting their community. The potential of racial targeting in the stabbings was raised multiple times.
White Rock RCMP responded to a report of Sohi’s stabbing in the 15400-block of Marine Drive on April 23, 2024 at 9:26 p.m. Officers along with BC Ambulance 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.
“Witnesses described seeing Mr. Sohi in a physical altercation with the suspect, before giving chase eastbound on the Promenade toward the parking lot adjacent to the Grand Chief Bernard Robert Charles (Pa-Kwach-Tun) Memorial Plaza,” said Sergeant Timothy Pierotti of IHIT.
“This occurred in a very public location. 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. We will continue to work tirelessly, supported by the White Rock members as well as the other I-Teams, to identify, locate and arrest the person responsible for this tragedy,” he said.
Sohi’s stabbing came just a day after Jatinder Singh another Punjabi male was stabbed on April 21 in the evening at around 9 PM. The police located a 28-year-old victim and provided first aid until paramedics arrived. The victim was transported to a hospital by Emergency Health Services with non-life-threatening injuries.
Manpreet Kaur and her husband Jatinder Singh were spending what was supposed to be a relaxing night on the White Rock Pier when Singh was stabbed in the neck from behind, CityNews reported. According to media reports, the couple had arrived in Canada just 2 months before.
The suspect was described as a black male, wearing a ball cap and a grey hoodie.
Cst. Chantal Sears of White Rock RCMP said, “Given the apparent similarities between this incident and the one which occurred on Sunday evening, police are investigating to determine whether or not there is a conclusive link between the two events.”
White Rock mayor Megan Knight issued a statement after the tragic death of the young man, “I want to extend my condolences to the family of the young victim impacted by the tragic events of last night. Like many, I was profoundly saddened to learn of this distressing incident.”
To address these events, the city has heightened police presence and patrols along the waterfront and surrounding areas.
Gurleen Sohi, sister of Kulwinder has also started a GoFundMe page to raise money for performing last rituals. She wrote, “My brother was brutally murdered on 23rd April 2024. My brother was stabbed multiple times at white rock pier beach. 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.”
