With the suspect in two White Rock stabbings arrested Monday afternoon (April 29), the community is reacting with cautious relief.
Although the 27-year-old man has not yet been named or charges against him listed, he is the suspect who stabbed one man on Sunday (April 21) on the waterfront promenade, then fatally stabbed another man multiple times just two nights later, on Tuesday (April 23), just 500 metres away from the initial attack.
Integrated Homicide Investigation Team members, assisted by Integrated Emergency Response Team members, arrested the man in a residential South Surrey neighbourhood.
In the week since Kulwinder Singh Sohi, 26, was killed, residents of the oceanside community have reacted with shock, fear and sadness at the two attacks, with a vigil held Sunday night where Sohi died near East Beach, and a town hall public meeting was organized as well.
READ MORE: ‘Devastated’ community reacts to 2 stabbings, 1 fatal, in White Rock
READ MORE: Support offered in wake of White Rock stabbings
On Tuesday (April 30) morning, the day after the arrest, White Rock Mayor Megan Knight said it was wonderful news to hear.
“I’m very pleased that, due to the diligence and tireless efforts of IHIT and the RCMP, the arrest was made. It was a tragic homicide,” she said.
“The progress of what these men and women have done is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the RCMP… they’re all committed to keeping our community safe.”
Kulwinder Singh, a friend of Sohi’s who helped organize the vigil, said he still wants to see justice served.
“We are glad… if he is that guy – we don’t know yet,” he said.
“If they have caught him, we want the Crown to give him (the harshest) punishment ever given. We want at least 25 years – a life in prison – the most Crown can give.”
Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford said he felt a sense of relief, and thanked police for their hard work, but still feels for those impacted by the stabbings.
“I spent a lot of time with the victim of the Sunday stabbing (Jatinder Singh, 28) and his family… it’s just heartbreaking, what they have gone through, and what they are going through,” he said.
“I’m going to work hard to make sure that is not his impression of my community.”
READ MORE: Surrey man charged in White Rock stabbing
He added Jatinder Singh’s medical costs, which wasn’t initially covered as he is a newcomer to Canada, will now be covered after he raised it with the Ministry of Health.
“I think that this is a realization – it’s not just White Rock, I hear this in every community I’m in – people aren’t feeling very secure when it comes to their safety right now,” Halford said.
“The province has to step up and make sure communities are better supported than they are right now.”
Knight, who was with the rest of council in a meeting when the news of the arrest broke, said everyone was pleased to hear of the development.
“We were all ecstatic when we heard it. There was a few wet eyes in council last night,” she said.
She emphasized that IHIT investigators are still asking any witnesses or anyone who was in the area on Tuesday between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. who may have more information, or dash camera/car camera footage to contact IHIT.
Investigators can be reached by calling 1-877-551-4448 or by email ihitinfo@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
“(The suspect) is behind bars. That’s where we want him,” Knight said.